


Magical Animorphs 1: Hogwarts

by Typhoonboom08



Series: Magical Animorphs [2]
Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, set during The Deathly Hallows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-19 05:41:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 90,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29621466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Typhoonboom08/pseuds/Typhoonboom08
Summary: With Neville and the others still supposedly trapped in the dungeons, almost everything has fallen onto Anthony's trembling shoulders. As if trying to keep under the radar of Yeerks and Death Eaters isn't enough, the DA's running wild, Blaise still needs to be warned and the Yeerks are finally making a move. Against the security provided by the the portraits.
Series: Magical Animorphs [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2176377
Kudos: 1





	1. Anthony

My name is Anthony Goldstein. And I was technically the last free Animorph within the walls of Hogwarts.

Sorry, that’s not very specific and if you know what an Animorph is then you’re probably jumping to very bad conclusions. No one’s infested with a Yeerk. Well, people are, otherwise there’d be no need for Animorphs...well, you know what I mean, all the Animorphs are...I’m just going around in circles aren’t I?

How about I go back a little? It’s been four days since the battle at Azkaban and while our involvement is still unknown, Neville and the others are still serving out their punishment for breaking curfew locked in the dungeons. They were left alone for long periods of time though and took full advantage of the rats scuttling in and out to leave frequently, but that was a risky move, with a variety of time limits, and only one would leave at a time. And none could be seen by anyone but me in their true forms. Which left me with another problem.

They could spy on the Yeerks and Death Eaters alike and tell me every word they heard, but I was where that ended. That meant that for the first time ever, Dumbledore’s Army had been left almost leaderless. And let me tell you, in the middle of a hate filled oppression where even the most innocent could be tortured for sneezing the wrong way, rebels without leaders to keep them grounded go absolutely wild. Even Hannah and Padma had lost their grip on the situation.

“Guys, this is gives us no benefit.” I said through clenched teeth, trying to hold back my panic. “Come on, this will only make things worse.”

“Would you shut up and help break stuff!” Romilda Vane snapped, blasting a desk to pieces while Fay Dunbar burned everything made of paper, be it photos, newspaper clippings or lesson plans and Michael Corner played target practice with every item, all of them definitely dark artefacts, held up in a display case. The only reason that the idiots hadn’t been caught yet was because I’d had the common sense to follow when I caught them up to no good and set up more silencing charms around the area than I ever cast in my entire life.

“They screw us, we’ll screw them Tony. That’s all there is to it.” My roommate stated, giving me his famous ‘my mind is made up and you can deal with it’ tone he oh so loved while debating. “They deserve it.”

“They’ll just take this out on all of us.” I responded. However this time it came out much too softly for them to hear. Heck, I barely heard it. Completely dejected, I just stared at the ground and walked out of the office and down to the end of the hallway, defeated.

‘Who am I kidding? Thinking they’ll ever listen to me.’ I thought sadly, leaning against the wall, my finger absentmindedly tracing the rune I’d drawn on it when Romilda blew Miss Professor Carrow’s door down. Nothing special or in any way complex, it would just buy the group of morons a few more seconds to escape when the inevitable happened. Assuming that I was right in guessing which way the witch from hell would come. Anything greater would make it too obvious why it was placed there and who could have set it up. As it was, it could just be seen as a childish prank and no way of determining who did it. Not that a great deal of people knew how to use rune magic, especially below the fifth year, but there was still no way that they’d ever figure out I did it.

Especially since I wrote it in such lousy ink. When the magic went through it and did its job, the ink would run and fade.

“Hey...hey DA...boy!” Startled, I let my self-pity slip away for now as an old man in the portrait next to me pushed its true owner out of his way as he spluttered and puffed up to the side of the frame closest to me. It truly was amazing just how alive these portraits are, to look act and react just like anyone in the living world. I really wanted to sit down and study just what about the spells... “Boy! This is not time for daydreaming!” The gentleman whisper shouted heavily, having yet to catch his breath. “That hideous hag of a woman is coming this way! Go warn your idiots.”

“Thank you, sir.” I muttered, kicking myself. This was no time to get distracted by painter magic. Placing my palm flat on the rune, I closed my eyes for just a few seconds and concentrated. Letting my magic dance around my hand, I focused it to the centre of my palm and out into the rune, the ink glowing gold. I didn’t have the time to charge it as much as it should be for its full effect, but it wasn’t really big enough for it with a human sized target anyway, so after about three seconds of fuelling it as much as possible, I abruptly ended the connection and ran straight to the room just as Fay placed a sticky charm on the floor. “Carrow’s coming, time to get out of here.”

“We’re about done anyway.” Michael shrugged, grinning smugly with his arms crossed as he backed safely out of the room, the girls chuckling and smirking as they followed. The room was absolutely destroyed. Not one item was spared and every wall was covered in quotes like ‘Death to Death Eaters’.

“Great, now let’s go!” I cried, not succeeding to keep my panic out of my voice as I pushed him as fast as I could down the hall. We had to get away now damnit!

The idiots actually had the audacity to resist and go slow, marvelling over the work that would have us all marked with lacerations. It wasn’t until my rune went off with a buzz and a scream quickly followed that what little common sense they had finally returned to them and they took to running, their hoods flying up over their heads. I couldn’t have been more relieved that dinner was over and the students were being hoarded to their Houses. Judging from how quickly the infuriated scream bombarded three floors and grew louder by the second, we never would have managed to get away if not for the mass of black robed classmates to blend in with.

“WHO DID IT! WHO DESTROYED MY OFFICE? I WANT AN ASNWER RIGHT THIS INSTANT!” Almost everyone in the corridor came to an instant halt as Professor Carrow stomped her way right to the stairway, caught between shaking in fear of painful curses and laughing at her apparel. My rune was the kind to unleash a small, electrical charge and stun whoever crossed its path. It wasn’t strong enough to stun her, but it was more than enough leave her twitchy with her hair sticking up wildly all around her head.

Normally I’d join in chuckling softly at the back, keeping my head down so as not to be noticed while everyone else gave in and laughed uproariously. This time however, I just couldn’t find the will and simply headed up the stairs. We got away and the comical look our horrid teacher was now sporting was my doing, but I didn’t feel victorious. In fact, I felt like a failure.

....

The halls were unusually dark and quiet that night. Curfew was close and even the DA members looking for trouble had the good sense not to stick around. The only reason I was were my Prefect duties. Every Prefect was expected to patrol every night before curfew, though only the Slytherins did it for Snape’s reasons. The rest of us, as few of us as there were with no fifth year Prefects outside Slytherin at all and five others having fled for their lives, used it as an excuse to prevent students from being punished, stopping every ill-thought out stunt we could, helping to hide anything they had that had them sneaking around and ushering the kids back to their Common Rooms. It was sad really, more than one kid had been horribly punished simply because she lost track of time in the library and was out a mere five minute past curfew. We couldn’t save her before she’d already suffered a lot and after that, we were keen to make sure it didn’t happen again.

I couldn’t help but think of it as strange, but this was the first night that I’d had yet to find someone in any of my territory. Usually, a Gryffindor was setting up some prank or a Slytherin would strut up and cause me grief, but tonight, nothing. Even the portraits hadn’t noticed a single person in over an hour. That was good though. Like I said, we were close to curfew and those who’d missed it in the past few days found out that it was hell. The only problem I had with that was that it left me plenty of time to wallow away in my head.

I often wondered why Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick chose me for Prefect. Before fifth year, I rarely talked to anyone that wasn’t Terry, Padma or Kevin. I was shy, soft spoken when I did speak and few bothered to pay attention to me. I mean, yeah, my housemates in my year always listened and respected my input, but few others did. Most didn’t even notice that I was there most of the time outside of class and when they did, I was labelled as the teacher’s pet or nerd. I had no air of authority and little confidence with people, how did anyone expect me to be a leader?

Yes, joining the DA in fifth year helped me in more ways than I could have ever realised while Terry was forever re-convincing me to join and stay. I finally gained some confidence and I made some new friends. But at the same time, my confidence depended on a number of DA members backing me up within the group and outside the group, while I talked more, I still didn’t have it in me to take charge. People would brush me off while they’d stand at attention when Ernie or Hermione ordered them to stop rule breaking.

And now I wasn’t just failing as a Prefect. I was failing the DA. Neville and the others were out of the picture right now and the group was a chicken with its head cut off. For two days now, members went off on their own and lashed out like rebels without a cause and every time they did, if they got caught, they came out of it with new scars and a broken finger. If they weren’t, well the known DA members were treated quite horribly, which they responded to by lashing out again and making it even worse for the rest of us.

The Gryffindors in particular had been going wild ever since Neville and the others were locked up. It makes sense really, they’re brash, impulsive and lost everyone in their House associated with the words leader and cautious. They were the ones encouraging others to go crazy too and had unfortunately succeeded with our newer Hufflepuff members. Hannah was still trying to settle them again and Bones was being realistic, but Hopkins, Malone, Rivers and a couple of sixth years I don’t know the names of were pulling risky stunts. Though they were never pointless, like this latest stunt. They usually just caused chaos, not much destruction or offense, covering student trying to hide and sneak around. Michael and the Gryffindors on the other hand, were only pulling stunt after stunt that gave us nothing and only promised more horrid consequences for us all. At Least the few Ravenclaws in the DA had enough sense only to get involved when it saved a younger student and to only do the bare minimum. Besides Michael, that is.

I should be able to stop them, rein them in. I should be able to make them see sense, realise just how much their actions are hurting us. As one of the medics patching the wounds as best I can and without the Carrows noticing, I could tell that at this rate, we weren’t going to last. Two days and it was already near disastrous! Cruciatus damage could be found in a quarter of the DA, people’s muscles and nerves causing painful jittering and jerking. Two Gryffindor sixth years, new recruits, had so many cuts on their faces that you couldn’t even tell them apart anymore and they looked nothing alike last week. Nigel, one of the only two fourth years in the DA, heck, one of the only two members below sixth year, was currently using crutches to get around and three Hufflepuffs had their wand arms in slings. At the rate we were going, we wouldn’t have the manpower to perform acts that were big three approved. But no matter what I say, they never listen. They just give me this defiant glare and tell me to back off, among other things, before going off and doing it all over again, injured allies be damned. At least Hannah and Padma manage to get a decent argument in first.

‘I should have just let myself get caught with the others.’ I decided miserably as I started back up to the Ravenclaw Common Room. Prefect or not, if I was still out after curfew, I was as screwed as anyone else. ‘Spending my days in the dungeons and snooping on Yeerks with fur or feathers sounds so much more appealing than deal with all this.’

“Hey Goldstein, my good man.” A voice called just as I made it to the staircase leading to Ravenclaw Tower. Letting my eyes leave the stone floor, I tilted my head to find a portrait of a man and woman riding a Pegasus running back and forth around his grass field, both of them waving me over.

“Hello Sir Galahad, madam.” I greeted, bowing my head respectably. “I thought you would have retired by now.”

“We were asleep, young squire.” Galahad admitted, his wife nodding moodily beside him. “However, a...furry, young man woke us up and requested that we tell you to meet him in the old classroom three doors behind you to your left.”

“I see.” I muttered, struggling not to raise an eyebrow as Sir Galahad frowned and his wife blushed at the furry part, both of them looking very discomforted. One of the guys must have been in the process of demorphing when they left the message. “In that case, I apologise for anything disconcerting that you saw and thank you for delivering the message.”

“You are most welcome, my kind friend. But...please inform the...gentlemen that his shapeshifting needs work.”

“And that it is customary to wear pants.” Galahad’s wife added, only blushing harder.

“Of course.” I nodded, smiling apologetically before bidding them a good night and heading quickly to the room. I didn’t have much time left, but if one of the others had left a message for me like that, then this was important enough to take the risk.

Reaching the door, I was given just enough time to notice that it was open a crack before it was flung open and a hand whipped out, grabbing me by the shirt and hauling me in before shutting and locking it behind me.

“You know, I was about to step in myself.” I grumbled moodily, fixing my tie without looking at it. With him right in front of me, that would make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

“So you did get my message.” Seamus grinned, taking a seat on the desk. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure that you’d get it and I only have so much time. The portrait people could have just gone to sleep and I got a little excited. Guess I worried for nothing.”

“Of course they’re still awake. You creeped them out.” I retorted with a shake of my head. “Demorphing in front of them. I also got told to tell you to wear pants.”

“Ok, just as soon as we figure out that part.” Seamus grinned amusedly. See, none of us had figured out how to morph clothing yet, not that we had any hope of it right now. The original Animorphs made it clear that not only does it take practice to learn how, you need skin tight clothes to do it and none of us had any clothes like that. Wizards aren’t into skin tight stuff, the average witch or wizard tends to prefer loose, breathable robes. Muggle styles have been coming in to the non-pureblood enthusiast circles, but none of it is spandex. And of course, Seamus has no modesty whatsoever when it comes to his body, so he was quite happy to bear all down the hall. The others all probably would have waited to get in here and grab the sheet lying on a broken chair to cover themselves before even considering contact with anyone. As awkward as I found this situation, I had to admit that I was a little envious. I wish I had that kind of self-confidence. “Is something wrong?” Startled again, and kicking myself for letting myself drift off far too often tonight, I focused back on him to find him watching me with concern. “You look pretty down. Did something happen?”

“Well...yeah.” I sighed closing my eyes and dropping my head in shame. I really didn’t want to admit to this, but I didn’t have a choice. They’d find out sooner or later anyway, there was no hiding it. “I told Neville that the DA was under control. That wasn’t exactly the truth and it’s gotten a lot worse.”

I told him everything. Every stunt the others had pulled, every spell I’d had to cast to protect them from their own idiocy, every medical condition my skills weren’t capable of fixing.

“I’m not a leader, Seamus.” I exclaimed, biting my lip as I looked back up at him. “It doesn’t matter that they know I’m ‘in the leaders’ circle’, I just don’t have that air of command and control about me. I’m the goody-goody, a doormat, not a bad ass rebel. I’m not you or Ernie or Neville. I’m not like Hannah and Padma either and even they aren’t faring well.”

“Bull.” Seamus stated, causing me to jump in surprise as he stood up and moved right in front of my face, making me lock eyes. “You do have what it takes to be bad ass, Anthony. We saw it at Azkaban. You were absolutely amazing. You were vicious in battle and you can’t say that jumping onto the rock creature wasn’t daring. You have all the guts you need to do it.”

“But that wasn’t me. That was the wolverine.” I argued, trying to turn my head away. However, Seamus grabbed my chin and locked in place, forcing me to look at him. “It came and went with the morph.” I added feebly, shifting my eyes to the side.

“And yet I’m practically demanding that you look at me and you’re stubbornly fighting it.” Seamus replied, a confident grin growing on his face. “Anthony, the wolverine is a part of you now. You’ve felt its ferocity, you can feel it again and you can learn to use it in human form too. Just have some faith in yourself.”

“How are you so sure?” I asked in disbelief, finally looking at him willingly. How could he have so much faith in me? What was it that he could see that I couldn’t, what made him believe in me?

“Because before we even knew the morphing power existed, you gathered up the courage to walk in on a supposedly private meeting amongst the most intimidating members of the DA, willingly followed me into the forest at night, kept your head despite everything we saw in the Yeerk Pool, where you practically gave me orders by the way, jumped into a habitat holding twelve painted wolves alone, demanding that we stay out of it, and you were able to take control of the wolverine’s instincts. Your will had to be stronger than the wolverine’s for that and those things are overwhelmingly aggressive. You have it in you, Anthony. You just have to let yourself see it. Your doubt of yourself is the only thing holding you back, trust me.”

Well...that was a surprisingly good argument. I had done all that, hadn’t I? Though, to be fair, throughout most of it, the adrenaline was pumping and there was not time to think and the wolf habitat thing had been branded with a giant stupid stamp all over it. Still, I guess...it all had to come from somewhere. I couldn’t even hide behind the wolverine excuse, pretty much all of it predated the first and only time I’d morphed. So, it really was in me?

I’d have to figure that out later. That would take a fair bit of self-reflection and I simply didn’t have time for that right now. Right now, we were both on the clock and mine was about to run out. It was time to get down to business.

“The Death Eaters have responded pretty badly to the Azkaban and wild DA members.” I informed him as he let me go, his face turning grim. “More Dementors are surrounding Hogwarts now and according to the Prophet, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are overflowing with them, while others are roaming the country looking for escaped prisoners. The Quibbler released this morning stated that twenty seven Muggles have already been found to have fallen victim to their kiss. More Death Eaters have been stationed in Hogsmeade and come by frequently. And to top it off, breaking curfew has become a lot more dangerous.”

“What do you mean?” Seamus frowned worriedly, his eyes subconsciously looking around for a clock before landing on my watch.

“Don’t worry, I still have about...ten minutes.” I assured him, checking the time myself. “Come sundown, the exits to Hogwarts are closed and sealed with spells I don’t recognise. Not even the teachers can get in or out without assistance from Snape or the Carrows. Similar spells have been placed on the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw House entrances too. Curfew for everyone in those three Houses has become eight o’clock, at which time the spells kick in, sealing the entrance and giving anyone who tries to enter after a very painful surprise while simultaneously alerting the Carrows. Again, only the Carrows and Snape can open the entrances during lockdown and if you’re caught out after curfew, you’re target practice in four torture spell classes.”

“Oh Merlin!” Seamus cried, bringing his hands to his face. “That will make our little rebellion attempts a hell of a lot more difficult. And that’s not even starting to take the Yeerks into consideration! And now is so not a good time to have lockdown issues.”

“Why, have the Yeerks decided on a move?” I asked, my breath hitching at the thought. The others had had little to report really since they started their surveillance. Mostly they followed around the few Controllers we had identified, especially Slughorn, and took what they could, but they were mostly just getting frustrated about the lack of safe and useable locations for Yeerk Pool entrances. They discovered the identities of a few more Controllers, including some Ravenclaw girls in my year, Mandy Brocklehurst and Morag MacDougal, but nothing about any new action was picked up. It seemed that the Yeerks had hit a wall and couldn’t do anything else until they tore it down, a feat that was proving exceedingly difficult. Taking large numbers of students out to the Forbidden Forest just to get to the Yeerk Pool and now during the day on top of that? Good luck.

“They’re about to.” Seamus nodded darkly, lowering his hands and crossing his arms. “They’ve gotten too irritated by the portraits. They cover all the walls and notice everything going on, making it impossible to do anything without drawing suspicion, as you already know. So, they’re setting up a plan to get rid of them.”

I could only stare at him in horror. That was bad. We were relying heavily on the portraits, both as the DA and as the Animorphs. Having all those ‘living’ people watching every hallway gave us a wonderful network. They weren’t happy with the Death Eaters being in the castle any more than we were and were quite happy both to play lookout for us and eavesdrop on their conversations. Then with the Yeerks, well they almost kept them at a complete standstill. They were everywhere and would notice if new passageways were being made. They also ensure that the Controllers couldn’t just go and snag someone for infestation. Any attack on a student like that and they’d sound the alarm. After repeated incidents, the Yeerks’ cover would be blown.

“What are they planning to do?”

“Dunno, we haven’t heard any details.” Seamus sighed with a shake of his head. “We only know that their plan involves ‘manipulating those pathetic Death Eater nimrods into our way of thinking’.” He stated dramatically, complete with Controller Slughorn’s scowl. “We’ll tell you what we find, but you’ll need to keep a lookout too.”

“Another thing to add to my seemingly infinite list.” I sighed, but nodded anyway. I put myself in this position so I couldn’t really complain. It still sucked that I was having to deal with it all on my own though. If only I had just one fellow Animorph at my side.

And of course, Seamus chose that moment to seemingly read my mind and ask the one other thing that would fill me with that wonderfully horrid feeling of shame and failure. “So, how are things going on the Zabini front? Have you managed to give him the heads up yet?”

I didn’t want to answer. Subconsciously, I looked around the room in hopes of finding a way to change the subject and avoid his eyes, but I knew it was a pointless venture. Keeping my head down, and carefully away from the direction of his body, I took a deep breath and confessed.

“No. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him alone yet. There’s always two or three Slytherins hanging around him, like Parkinson. And even if I did, how could I convince him everything I said was true? Find a Yeerk and shove it in his head? Experiencing is the only way he’d believe a word of it and that would be counterproductive.”

“Then make him experience the power that no wizard has.” Seamus answered as if it was the most obvious solution in the world. “Convince him of what he’s been given and hope that that is enough to make him believe you about the Yeerks. You’re resourceful, you’ll figure out a way to convince him. But you have to do it very fast. Seventh years outside the Death Eater wannabes and the DA are very tempting targets. If he’s upfront with everyone else about his neutrality like he was with us, then he is in real danger. Besides, it would be really useful to us if you could convince him to help. Slytherins aren’t affected by the new curfew rules, right?”

“Very true.” I nodded, looking up doubtfully. “But don’t hold your breath on him fighting for us.”

“I know, I’ll settle for him fighting for his own freedom and keeping our secret.” Seamus responded firmly. “He’ll do that much at least. But first, he needs to know that he needs to do it and you’re the only one of us that he’s keen to listen to.”

“You’re right, I know.” I muttered shamefully. I felt like I let them all down, Blaise included. I hated that feeling. I should have done something by now, but the other Slytherins still intimidated me individually and they were always in a group. I hated how much of a coward I could be, I had to buck up.

“I’ll find a way to talk to him tomorrow.” I stated, steeling my resolve. I had to, for all our sakes. Yeerk armies infesting us were far worse than Death Eater wannabes that I could probably out-duel anyway if I was forced to. If I’d broken my nervous streak before and went off all the way into the heart of Azkaban, then I could do this. “I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” Seamus grinned before grimacing as he looked down at my watch again. “But it’s time to part ways. You need to get back up those stairs now.”

“And you have four other people to update.” I nodded, already moving towards the door. Opening it, I poked my head and wand out, lighting it up as the candles had all gone out. Uh-oh, I was later than I thought. I really hoped that the knocker’s riddle wouldn’t be too difficult, I had maybe four minutes to get up there and solve it. “All clear.” I informed him, turning back with a wave goodbye that he smiled to before dashing off, leaving the door just open enough for a cat or fox to slink through.

Taking the stairs two at a time, almost falling face first more than once, I almost laughed for joy as I reached the top and knocked to be rewarded with what was most likely the easiest riddle I’d ever heard. Giving the eagle head my answer, I practically leaped through the door a mere second before it snapped shut and flickered with a red glow that singed the back of my robes.

Groaning in both relief and exhaustion, I dragged myself over the closest couch and flopped down on it, not even caring that my chest was laying on Terry’s lap as I aimed my head for the soft armrest.

“That was a close shave.” Terry commented, snickering as I groaned like Michael in the morning. “That many kids loitering? Are they setting up childish pranks by the Headmaster’s gargoyle again?”

“No, I just got distracted.” I admitted as my lungs finally stopped complaining about the run. Merlin, I needed to get in shape. Though that fact quickly slipped from my mind as my best friend gave me a wide eyed stare that basically screamed ‘explain please’. I had to think quick for that one, I couldn’t tell anyone about my meetings with the Animorphs, not even Terry. There was no guarantee that there wasn’t a Yeerk in his head, despite how sure I was. I couldn’t risk him questioning how they were doing it, much less why they were only talking to me. “Professor Slughorn was acting randomly and said something about obnoxious portraits. Either he’s lost it or...”

“He’s one of the Imperioused spies the Death Eaters are using.” Terry finished for me with a sigh. “It’s to be expected, I guess. The rumours claim that the Dark Lord always wanted Slughorn on his side.”

“He may be a coward, but he is very talented in his fields.” I agreed, sitting up as we fell into silence. I really hated lying to Terry. It really made me feel absolutely horrible. He trusted me absolutely and before the Yeerk possibility, I did the same. There wasn’t a single secret I’d kept from him before. Besides, I not good at lying. If I had to lie to keep the truth from him, he was going to catch me very quickly.

“So...” Terry started, looking at me with calculating eyes as he thought over how to start, making me tense a little. That meant that whatever it was was possibly delicate or he was expecting a half truth. What was I going to have to cover now? “Michael’s been bragging about that stunt with miss bitch’s office. He said that you were involved. Offhandedly.” He added, watching closely for any reaction. He got one alright. Groaning again, I sank miserably into the cushions, my whole body sagging.

“I couldn’t stop them.” I actually scowled that time. I had to admit to this failure again! Seriously, how long was this going to hang over my head? And why was it that I’d had to admit it to two of the few people whose opinions of me mattered most? “I had to put up silencing charms and a shock rune to make sure that they weren’t caught.”

“So the mess the hag was in was your doing.” Terry shook his head amusedly. “That’s not going to have consequences tomorrow.” He added lightly, but sarcastically, immediately getting me going defensive.

“What else could I do? The idiots stopped to admire their work as it was. Even after they were warned Carrow was close!” I cried exasperatedly, immediately getting an ‘I surrender’ gesture from Terry.

“Chill, I get it. Besides, after the damage Michael and friends have done, I doubt the existence of your little spark will cause any difference.”

I still scowled at him for a few more seconds, but I quickly let it go and caved in on myself sadly. He was right after all. Tomorrow would see a number of people hurt more than usual and would start another stupid revenge scheme that only causes us more pain. It was a never-ending cycle lately, one that I just couldn’t stop no matter what I said.

“What are we going to do, Terry?” I asked, desperate for an answer. Terry always had an answer when I didn’t. I really hoped that this time was no different. “If the DA doesn’t get itself back into thinking straight, then we’re all going to end up in a torture room, along with anyone who’s shown any of us even the slightest bit of help or association. Why can’t they see that?”

“They’re angry, all they can see is their desire to get even and cause hell.” Terry answered, suddenly sounding just as annoyed as I was. “Still, you’re absolutely right. Tell you what, we’ll talk to Hannah and Padma tomorrow. Setting a meeting for tomorrow night shouldn’t be a problem, the four of us will work together to knock some sense into the others again. While Neville and the others are imprisoned, you Prefects do hold superiority and I’m sure most of the original members of the DA will back you, as long as you’re unified. It’s a lot harder to be defiant with your own allies if they’re arguing together, you have more sway with all three of you present and those you convince first will help convince the others. We’ll bash the logic into everyone else’s heads if we have to. It just means you’ll need to stand as firm as the girls do.”

Thank you, Terry! See what I mean? Hannah was well respected in the DA, both by her own rite and as the go to girl employed by Neville, Ernie and Seamus for difficult situations. If anyone could get the Gryffindors to see reason, it was Padma, even if it was partly due to her sister and few people didn’t flinch if they drew out either Patil’s attitude. And of course, Terry was well respected for his talent with a wand and planning. People listened when they talked. Add whatever I could dig up of what Seamus saw in me and this could work. At the very least, the new Hufflepuff members would hold back more. And it was true. When the Golden Trio was in agreement, you listened. When Neville, Ginny and Luna were together and serious, you listened. When Ernie and Seamus are both scowling at you, you shut up and look down in shame. There was no reason Hannah, Padma and I couldn’t do it too, right? At the very least, Hannah and Padma already had the right air of authority for it whenever they needed to.

“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all week.” I muttered appreciatively, getting a smile in return before standing up. “Well, I’m tired. I think I’m going to head up early tonight.”

“All your work’s up to date?” Terry asked, though it was only on reflex. With neither of us really caring to put any effort into the Carrows’ many assignments, I even got my extracurricular class’, Ancient Magic, tasks completed with a full week to spare. It didn’t hurt that the other teachers were lowering their set workloads to compensate for the number of Dark Arts and Muggle slandering papers we were expected to right either.

“Of course. See you in the morning.” I grinned tiredly before heading off, waving a goodnight to Padma and Lisa before heading up to the seventh year boys’ dorm. Brushing my teeth and changing into sleep attire, I jumped into my wonderfully soft bed and pulled the curtains shut. Though I didn’t get to sleep right away. Not a chance.

It would really be good if we could ditch the grief on the DA front. We should have gathered the Prefects from the beginning, I should have set up an emergency meeting myself. So long as the Gryffindors shut up long enough to listen, we should be able to make enough members to see sense. I doubted they all would, but if only one or two people kept going then we’d be far less likely to have countless, innocent students suffering group punishments. Then in a few days, Neville and the others would be back and we could get back on schedule.

However, that only dealt with one old problem. The other two Seamus had brought up were another story. I couldn’t do anything about the Yeerks at the moment. I’d have to find out what their plan was first and I couldn’t do that from Ravenclaw Tower, even if there were Controllers within. So, I focused on the other standing issue. Blaise.

I was honest before. Evidence was going to be a huge problem when I talked to him. He wasn’t a psychopath by a long shot, but he did still hold wizards and witches superiorly over Muggles and wouldn’t believe that the Muggles had shapeshifting powers of their own easily. The Yeerks only made the story sound more ridiculous. Then there was talking to him alone to begin with. He didn’t seem to care about too many of them, but the Slytherin seventh years were always close by. I’d never get close without drawing their attention and risking their suspicion.

‘I need a way to get a message to Blaise without anyone ever knowing.’ I thought, frowning hard at the troubling task. How could I do it? I was sure that if I sent Blaise a letter asking him to meet me that he would, but it would be intercepted by the Death Eaters and possibly read over Blaise’s shoulder, tipping off far too many of the wrong people. Walking up to him was obviously a no go, two Slytherin girls were always too close by in Ancient Runes and Arithimancy and usually listening in when Blaise talked to me and I didn’t know how to use mental magic... “That’s it!” I cried, startling myself as it slipped through my mouth. Still, I didn’t care if anyone heard that, I was too busy both mentally cheering and kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner. Seamus mention using the morphing power as my proof when talking to Blaise and now that I thought about it, it could also be my way of getting a confidential message to Blaise. Thought speak! Only Blaise would hear it and if I was quick and careful in what I said, I could stop him from alerting anyone of the conversation, a benefit of how little he talks to begin with.

‘I’ll need a new morph, though.’ A painted wolf would really cause suspicion and the wolverine was associated with the Azkaban breakout. Neither were even native animals and chances are that I’d have to enter the castle. I’d have to find something in the area that could hide and not draw a crowd if I was spotted. Still, that was fine, Terry did used to take Care of Magical Creatures, so if I had any problems touching one, he could help. And a magical morph would be a lot more convincing when I talked to Blaise.

I had to be thankful for the gift of friends. Trying alone, I’d completely failed everything, but within half an hour, two conversations had given me all the answers I needed. With the promise of those nagging problems being resolved, I let myself doze off, sleeping better than I had in weeks. Yeah, I still had a lot of burdens on my shoulders, but I wasn’t holding half the weight that had been there this morning. Even when there are still problems to deal with, it’s so much less foreboding when you actually have backup and a plan.


	2. Anthony

Unfortunately, I was once again proven right about the consequences of yesterday’s actions. The moment they showed up at breakfast, the Carrows sent the most vicious glares I’d ever seen over the entire student body and promised that every member of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were going to be...disciplined heavily over the next few days. Being unfortunate enough to have had Muggle Studies first period this morning, I already knew exactly what that had meant. Miss Carrow had pulled out every Muggle weapon she knew of and taught a lesson, the word being used extremely loosely, on how painful and barbaric they could be. Using students as the dummies. I myself had the poor fortune to get struck by a spear in the shoulder. Miss Carrow was...considerate enough to fix the bone, not that she was at all thrilled or skilled with the prospect of healing, but the rest of it, skin and muscle, was left under the demand that it must heal on its own, no magic.

Still, I counted myself lucky. My unblemished record and polite nature got me off easy. The wound wasn’t really deep, my shoulder would make a full recovery on its own, even if it wouldn’t have been healed the moment I morphed next. Most of the others, seeing as Ravenclaw shared the class with Gryffindors, were limping and flinching with every twist or bend. And if that wasn’t enough, the fourth year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had had Dark Arts at the same time and all I can say is that I was dreading that class horribly.

Fortunately, my next class was Herbology.

“Now take the leaf and raise it like this...” Professor Sprout stated, slightly tugging the leaf of her plant before raising a pair of gardening shears. “and with a swift snip, cut the stem. Remember to make it a quick and firm snip, it needs to be a clean cut.” She reinforced, effortlessly cutting right through the fairly thick stem before quickly, but carefully dropping the shears and placing both of the severed ends over a vial as it secreted a clear, thick liquid.

“See, Nothing to it.” Sprout smiled, rubbing the back of her free hand, particularly where there was a small cut, dramatically over the plant’s new, liquid cover stub. “Now, as I’m sure you all know by now, Dittany is grown and cared for due to its wonderful healing properties. It’s the main ingredient in most open wound related medical potions. However, the sap we are extracting from our pruning today is also capable of doing a fine job all on its own, As seen by how the stump quickly hardens over only moments after it is cut open.” She said, holding up the plant to the class with her now healed hand. “This is why we must prune a number of leaves of each plant to restock Madam Pompfrey’s supplies today. Unfortunately, the little you can get from the plant’s stump is too insufficient to be properly collected in vials.” An extra large grin spread across her face as she finished and put the plant back down, getting a lot of relieved looks from those of us fresh from Muggle Studies. “Now, what are you waiting for? Let’s get to work, shall we?”

Snape and the Death Eaters had decreed that neither Pomfrey or any of the other staff members were allowed to treat any wounds caused by their punishments. Even Professor Sprout couldn’t do a thing unless it was life and death. However, that didn’t stop her. After all, Herbology was about caring and harvesting plants that had magical properties and plenty of those were based around healing. If she happened to teach a revision course on dittany and we just happened to get a sample of its sap to rub on our wounds, how would she know? She had a whole class to watch over.

It was a little tricky considering the numbers taking Herbology in seventh year had us all mixed in two classes, but with only seven Slytherins in mine and all of them staying close together, it was simply a waiting game to get what all the sap I needed and rub it into my shoulder. I flinched for a few seconds as I dug into my damaged robes and struck the wound, but it was worth it, for only a second later I was fighting back a sigh of relief. Dittany sap was strong stuff even without being mixed into potions, within a minute my skin had knitted itself back together until the wound was only a third of its original size. It was more than sufficient to get my arm back into proper use.

Looking back up and getting back to work, I froze in place as I found a pair of eyes staring intently right at me. Normally that would be more or less ok, however, a Slytherin was usually another story.

I think his name was Theodore Nott. He was a Pureblood and heir to a very high ranking family with a well defined statement of character. His father was a Death Eater and believed to be well within the Dark Lord’s inner circle. I’d never spoken or even seen much of the Nott heir in my time at school, so I only had his family reputation to base him on and that was more than enough to terrify me. If he busted me to the Carrows, I, and maybe Professor Sprout too, would be punished for a week. There was no way I could handle being strung up and struck with every dark curse imaginable in Mr Carrow’s class. I mean, seriously, I couldn’t even wait until I could morph to deal with a small shoulder wound!

Fortunately, luck appeared on my side for a change. Nott had stared so long that Zabini had taken note of it. Following Nott’s line of sight to me, he gave me a look that I think was meant to mean ‘don’t be so reckless’ before tapping Nott on the arm and giving a very slight, almost non-existent shake of the head. Nott’s eyes flickered back to me for a moment, stopping my breathing, but he let out a small sigh and turned back to his work with a slight, frustrated frown. I couldn’t let my breath out fast enough as he did. He was actually going to drop it! Thank Merlin that I actually had what I think passed for a friend in Slytherin.

The rest of the lesson was spent rather uneventfully. No one else appeared to be caught healing themselves and the work was simple enough. Normally, pruning dittany was first year work, but Professor Sprout was using the claim of having too high a quantity of plants to spread the activity around to every class she taught, a fact that was only useful due to the weather. Even in the charmed Greenhouses, the dittany had a very specific timeframe, its substances only peaking to the point of use when the flower blooms in late summer and only until it withers in late autumn. For stock to last all year, we had to get as much as we could before the flowers died and the rest became useless for months.

Finishing with my plant early, being careful to leave enough leaves attached so as to prevent suffocating it, I let my eyes wonder the class, making sure to take in every detail. I’d actually identified a few Controllers that way already, having the others verify my claims. It was very tricky, you had to catch them at the perfect moment and it’s usually only for a second, but the right situation, a belief that no one’s watching and sometimes, the rarest of events, absolutely randomly, the masks they construct drop to reveal their true emotions or they say two seemingly innocent words that triggers a connection to what little we know. One random moment was Malcolm Baddock, an already known Controller, grabbing a fourth year Hufflepuff with wide, terrified eyes before suddenly standing straight and calmly letting go, claiming that he’d simply tripped. With what the first Animorphs had told us, it didn’t take much for me to determine that it was a sign of the host struggling for control, an event that would occur from time to time, but rarely lasted long as the sheer willpower needed to override a Yeerk like that for even a few seconds was great.

I managed to catch a lot of different looks among the crowd today, but none of them screamed Controller to me. Most of the Gryffindors looked either relieved or seething, none of them really being good at reining in their emotions. Their house was easily the most emotionally wild. The Hufflepuffs were mostly calm and focused or relaxed. Bones was scowling, but she’d nicked her finger on her sheers.

Other than Stephen Cornfoot, Mandy and Morag were the only other Ravenclaw students in this class, so I spent a bit of extra time subtly observing the girls’ table. I’d been watching Stephen the whole time I was pruning and he hadn’t given me anything to go on, though I still wondered. He was a prime target for the Yeerks, definitely not a future Death Eater, too scared to oppose them and very intelligent, though he was more of a history buff and botanist than a spellcaster. Still, both girls were known Controllers and with them about to start a new plan, I was keen to catch something that could help determine their method. Any hint would be helpful right now.

But of course, neither girl ever having steady or firm fingers, both of them were forever frustrated mutilating their plants. They weren’t getting me anywhere.

The Slytherins were the most varied. Zabini had his usual blank look to him and Nott still looked frustrated, like a puzzle piece was missing or something. Crabbe had a dopey, but concentrated stare down at his plant and Bulstrode was acting as if this whole thing was beneath her. Nothing unusual about any of that.

Not that I focused too much on any of them. Zabini would shrug it off and I’m not sure how Nott would take it, but the other two really had me worried. Both of them were among the five Slytherins that followed us into the Forbidden Forest the night we got our new powers. Zabini had modified their memories well, none of them had ratted us out, but I didn’t want to risk undoing it. I wasn’t sure how good Zabini was with the spell. If it was done less than perfectly, then if they got something similar to focus on for too long, they could break the spell. It was best that I did nothing to draw their attention to me for a few more weeks, until the effects of time weakened the memories and their connection to them.

Noticing Nott’s eyes flickering my way again, I quickly dropped my head to some brambles. I really didn’t want to risk his suspicions again and started to sweat as I felt him staring. What was his fascination with me? He’d never spent any time watching me before. At the most, I got a ‘why are you here’ look on the rare occasion that I’d approach Blaise outside of class.

Still, I forgot about it completely after a minute. Still keen to avoid the look, I gazed over every detail of a group of potted aconites when a tiny flicker of brown jumped between the stems before coming to a halt and staring at some moving vines. I estimated that it was about seven and a half inches tall, with brown skin that looked like bark. It had two fingers per hand and feet designed for climbing. Reading into wand lore in my fourth year, I could tell that if it turned toward me, I’d see a face solidly set like the little thing was openly, confidently evil.

‘Hey, that could work.’ I grinned as a few possibilities flew through my head before raising my hand, never taking my eyes off the little creature.

“Yes Mr Goldstein? Is there something troubling you?” Professor Sprout asked, her voice suggesting curiosity. I don’t normally call for much attention in class at all, mostly just answering questions or asking for confirmation before touching a particularly volatile plant.

“No Professor, it’s just that it seems that a bowtruckle has gotten a little lost.” I replied politely, pointing to the creature in question. “I’ve finished with my dittany, so I was wondering if it was ok for me to return it to the forest.”

“Oh, what do you know?” Professor Sprout mused, slowly following my pointing finger. Pulling out her wand, she wordlessly summoned a box full of woodlice she must have previously removed from the trees and placed a few into my cupped hands. “Take it to Hagrid. It probably came from his class. You do know how to handle a bowtruckle, don’t you Mr Goldstein?”

“I can manage it.” I nodded, grinning, albeit nervously, and turned back to the little guy. Lowering myself to its level, I flinched as it spun around, immediately tensing at the sight of me. His fingers were very sharp. They were designed to take the lice from the tree it chose as its home, but were also used to strike at the eyes of anyone who dared to harm it or its tree. Slowly, very slowly, I raised my hands and showed it the woodlice running around them.

The bowtruckle hesitated for a moment or two, unnerving me as it eyed me down, before slowly, carefully moving into my hands and grabbing the lice running up my wrist.

Slowly rising back up, I headed towards the door, only stopping to ask Stephen to grab my stuff if I wasn’t back before the lesson ended. I had no intention of coming back today as a human at all.

I had to wait until I was out the door of the greenhouse to do anything else, leaving me more than a little nervous. I may be feeding it, but the bowtruckle hadn’t exactly agreed to be taken for a ride and it definitely wouldn’t approve of leaving the greenhouse. These were creatures that chose trees that they live in and protect for their magic and the greenhouse was full of them, a very rare sight. Being taken away could have had it attacking me. However, I couldn’t risk anyone noticing anything too peculiar and I wasn’t sure if anyone in there would find an entranced bowtruckle unusual. I didn’t know that much about their temperament.

So naturally, once I was outside, with no one close by, I wasted no time concentrating on the little thing. Perfect timing too, for it had just finished the last of the woodlice. That stopped the chance of me acquiring the wrong DNA and stopped it from potentially resisting me.

It basically just sat down as the tingling sensation danced through my palms, absorbing DNA. It was a strange feeling, not unpleasant, but not one that I’d quite grown used to yet. Though it was only the fourth time I’d felt it, one of which when I actually touched the blue box itself, so that wasn’t surprising. Feeling safer around it now that it had fallen into a trance, I altered my grip a little more firmly and ran to Hagrid’s paddocks. I only had so long before the trance wore off and not much more before class ended, a fact that could make safely reaching and contacting Blaise trickier than it already was.

I was so focused on my plan that I almost failed to notice the slight coloured outline suddenly surrounding the bowtruckle. Frowning as I reached the paddock fence, I placed the little guy down and just stared. There was no way that was there before, even if I hadn’t noticed it in the greenhouse, that slight green and brown glow surrounding him should have come to my attention before.

“I wonder what’s...” I started before shaking my head. I had more important things to worry about and a deadline that I was already likely to miss. I could worry about it la... “Merlin!” The thought was almost lost again as I looked up only to find slight, barely noticeable glows around all the animals. Even some, very few, of the trees in the forbidden forest had a glowing outline. Then, turning back around, I almost got a migraine to find the entire castle was shining like the sun. ‘Ok, that’s got to stop!’

Not knowing what was going on or what to do about it, I did the only thing I could: squint my eyes, keep my head low and rush back toward the castle as quickly as I could. Fortunately, my watch claimed that the others would only be packing their stuff up and be about to leave the greenhouse by the time I reached the castle. That was good, because I still needed to dive into a deep, dark alcove and throw up a Notice me Not charm on me and my clothes before starting my second ever morph. And my first ever magical creature morph.

The first thing I noticed was that my clothes were coming looser and surrounding me more completely. It was something I hadn’t really thought about and I found it a little disconcerting to me honest. Last time I’d morphed, I’d been forced to shed all my clothes long before or spend the rest of my time outside Hogwarts naked and the simple thought of that was humiliating enough. This only caused a new panic as I continued to shrink, not even noticing that my skin had turned brown and was hardening: what if I got trapped in the fabric?

The thought filled my head for a few seconds, but I pressed on anyway, compensating with a few seconds of hyperventilating until the creaking and cracking of my bones and the squelchy, nauseating sensation of my organs twisting, shrinking and reshaping succeeded quite well in distracting me from everything else.

Morphing is never pretty. I knew that much already. The process was nothing like the quick flick of an Animagus transformation, it was slow, drawn out, a lot like a werewolf transformation. Actually, according to what I’ve read, the transformation is exactly the same as one of lycanthropy, but with two key differences, the first one being that it was always intentional and the other, much more important one, was that despite the fact that you know you should, you feel no pain through the transition. It still feels weird and disturbing though.

I got one last look at the castle, the back of my mind wondering where the glow had gone, before my eyes were concealed within my shirt, blinding me. I was kind of glad though to be honest. After morphing wolverine in the ocean, where I couldn’t see the changes and demorphing where I could, I’d decided that I was quite happy not watching as four fingers on each hand fused together to make two, long and sharp ones as my thumb sunk into my hand, or my arms thinning and my elbows reshaping, allowing my arms to bend in previously impossible ways. I didn’t need to see as my skin hardened to the density of bark, nor as my remaining three toe nails on each foot grew into sharp claws. I was creeped out enough when I felt my face harden into that evil look, my eyes sinking into my face and my lips disappearing.

My hair was the last physical change to occur, all of it being sucked into my body to be replaced with a few rough bristles here and there while I felt around, trying to discern where I was. It only took a few moments for my brain to determine the more solid edges hidden behind the dark fabric trying to pin me to the ground indicated that I was inside one of my shoes.

Moving around was a struggle. I kept getting loose strands from my pants and socks snagged on my body, further assisting the weight of my robes in immobilising me. And then of course, the instinct had awoken.

For a moment, I was lost in them. The bowtruckle mind felt threatened, something I hadn’t felt in the wolverine, and lost it. Sharp fingers were thrown wildly as I pushed myself hastily towards the fresh air, ripping any fabric that touched me. Grabbing hold of firm leather, I thrust myself right out and free of all fabric in one jump, only for a claw on my foot to catch a hole in my outer robe and smack me head first into the ground.

Fortunately, the small distance drop couldn’t do any real damage, but it was enough to stun me. Add that to the fact that the freedom and open space had calmed the bowtruckle mind significantly, it made snapping back to my own min child’s play. Pulling myself back up, I waited until the stars faded from my vision before slowly leaving the alcove, listening for any sign of students heading to lunch.

I was happy to discover that despite having little more than holes in my head for ears, the bowtruckle’s hearing was about on par with mine. I could hear the stomps of incoming students and low, albeit indecipherable, mutterings as they passed by. That was good, because my current sight was nothing like mine. Or rather, nothing like it used to be.

It was at the moment that I made it back to the main hallway that I discovered that bowtruckles rarely ever use normal vision and what had happened to my eyes when I acquired it. It made sense when you took in what little I know of them. Bowtruckles live in trees and protect them like guardians, but they will only ever choose a tree with the gift of magic as their home. This is an interesting fact because such trees, the only ones that can be used to supply the wood for wands, actually have as low a magical to non-magical ratio as wizards do to Muggles. Even wizards have great difficulty determining what trees are gifted with magic and most can only rely on finding a bowtruckle. Yet the bowtruckle gets it right every time. There were a few theories on why, none of them ever having enough sway to rule out another, and yet I’d found the answer in an instant. Bowtruckles actually could see magical auras. It’s what they focused on, their eyes not being much use in the normal way, only seeing about ten feet ahead of them. Every student was bathed in magical light before my eyes, some brighter than others. However, they set the bowtruckle mind a little on edge. I couldn’t explain it, but somehow, the bowtruckle could differentiate the species that they auras belonged to even without seeing body shapes and was longing for the safety it felt from that of a tree. And height.

‘So that’s what happened to my vision before.’ I marvelled, watching all the colours dance and flicker around bodies that I could barely make out. We’d made a bit of a shocking discovery the night we got out morphing power that was similar to my situation. Rachel had acquired a Thestral well before the others and was quite shocked to discover that her sense of direction had grown superhuman. It wasn’t on par with the Thestral’s, but some of the magic had made itself accessible to her true form. That must have happened to me, the bowtruckle’s magic remaining weaker, but ever present in my bloodstream. That was something that could come in handy. As long as I didn’t have an eternal migraine from ocular overload.

Still, again I focused on my objective and climbed slowly up the stone wall grateful for its rough texture. My small, fine limbs had no problem latching onto almost nonexistent, jutted pieces of rock and holes in the wall and with my small size and colouring, I blended into it perfectly. Stopping about halfway to the ceiling, I turned my face back to the crowd and waited, hoping I hadn’t missed my class. It was a tense few minutes, I could tell you that. If Blaise had already gone by, then I’d have to try and track him in the Great Hall, where I was a lot more likely to be noticed and I had no interest in risking being taken out to the forest without my clothes.

It turned out that I worried for nothing. It took a little while, but my weak, normal vision did manage to make out the faster students in my last class, all of them hurrying by. It was pretty typical, most of the students moved ahead at a quicker pace, either to avoid or cause trouble, while the Slytherin students tended to take their time. They weren’t ever pressed for tardiness by Death Eaters and most took great pleasure in flaunting it, much like how Malfoy used to always strut around like he owned the place. It also didn’t hurt that they were still quite keen to keep their distance from those believed to be beneath them. Not that the other houses ever cared, it kept the jerks away from us. The less interaction with them, the better, as far as most were concerned.

I only had to wait a minute after Stephen and the others passed before my target showed up. Standing off a little to the side of the others and barely paying attention to Bulstrode and Crabbe’s conversation, was Blaise. My nerves caught up to me as I spotted him, but I didn’t have time to notice them. I had to be fast and firm.

/Blaise, it’s Anthony. Don’t react at all!/ I called quickly, holding my breath as he tensed. This was the most worrisome part of this. I didn’t know how he’d react to what could possibly be considered a mental intrusion and if it bothered him, at the very least, the other Slytherins might notice. Any jerking or stopping would draw their attention.

I held my breath as his eyes widened slightly, coated in surprise, and his shoulders tensed a little, but relaxed almost instantly as he kept walking without anyone questioning him. Thank Merlin.

/Sorry to enter your head like this, but don’t worry, you’re only hearing my thoughts, nothing else. This was the only safe way I could think of to talk to you, no one else can know. I need to talk to you in private. Please meet me tonight in the empty classroom on the fourth floor, the one next to the knight holding a tomahawk. Don’t tell anyone about it. Please Blaise, this is very important./

He didn’t give a single reaction to my whole speech as he left my field of vision, but that was as close to an acceptance that I could hope for. He was taking care not to cause suspicion and that was enough.

Satisfied, I waited peacefully until everyone had gone in the Great Hall to eat before climbing back down to my alcove and morphing back, quickly shoving my clothes back on and heading in myself.

....

Being fortunate enough to have a free period after lunch, on a normal day I would spend it in the library doing my homework. Most people did now, for while it wasn’t a rule yet, the Carrows were quite keen to threaten anyone they saw wandering the halls during lesson times into going, where they usually had two Death Eaters patrolling the shelves. Today however, I was keen to get outside.

It’s not too much different, a couple of Death Eaters could frequently be seen perusing the area since the start of term. The staff consisted of too many known members of the Dark Lord’s opposition for them to leave it alone and the student rebellion had only caused the number of patrolling dark wizards to grow. Now there were usually five Death Eaters perusing the grounds and two in the library at any given time, with more frequently coming and going, and that was without counting the Carrows and Snape. Still, they never bothered me too much. They saw me as pathetic, to nervous and cowardly to cause a problem. I always was easy to overlook that way, something that I was incredibly grateful for now.

Otherwise, I’m sure I would have attracted too much unwanted attention from them walking right into the Forbidden Forest.

Careful to stick to the path, I stumbled my way through until I was sure that I was well away from the tree line and stopped. Straining my ears for any kind of sign that I was followed, I slowly put down my back pack and shrugged off my outer robe and shoes, stuffing them into it. I waited another minute before going any further, really not liking any possibility of being caught, but when the time had passed and I had neither seen, nor heard any sign of human life, I took a deep breath and started, embarrassedly, pulling off the rest of my clothes. I really had to figure out how to get my hands on the right type of clothing for morphing, I was going to die by humiliation eventually. Quickly shoving my underwear, the last of my clothes, into my bag, I ignored the auras I was starting to see again and wasted no time in focusing on beginning my third morph. The painted wolf.

It was a bit risky for me, coming out here alone and morphing in an open space in broad daylight. Any beast could come and attack me while I was helpless midmorph, but this was the only place I could think of. I’d decided to take Seamus’ advice and reconnect with the aggression I’d had at Azkaban, but I didn’t think it was safe to use the wolverine. If someone saw me, they could connect the dots, at least to a Hogwarts student, and have us all checked. I wasn’t gonna risk that. Besides, this was probably the better way to go. I was going to need multiple animals to morph tonight anyway and I wasn’t going to use the wolverine then either, so I needed to practice the wolf. I really didn’t want to lose control and attack Blaise. Wolves are fierce creatures when they want to be, it should be all I needed to get my confidence.

My whole body itched as soft, black and yellow fur started growing all over. It was so demanding a feeling that I almost missed it as my ears stretched and pointed, moving up my head. My torso started stretching next while my limbs shrunk a bit, though the muscles of each grew significantly sturdier. Fingers and toes were sucked back into my hands and feet with a loud enough sloop that I almost dry heaved, to be replaced moments later with claws while the bones of my palms shattered and reshaped into paws, my feet following suit a moment later.

My knees decided to follow their example next, breaking apart, making me lose what little balance I still had and sending me plummeting onto all fours as the pieces twisted around to the back and recreated themselves in reverse. Next was my teeth, each one growing sharp and pointed while others sprouted up from my gums. There was so many that I thought my mouth would be torn apart until my face stretched out forward, forming a much more comfortable muzzle. As my torso contributed to the creaking and snapping of bones, altering itself into the wolf’s form and wrapping more protectively around my shifted organs, the next uncomfortable sensation came from the end of my tailbone. Experience told me that the end was uncurling and growing out into a tail, but I still barely managed to contain myself from scratching it. Not only was it growing out of me, but it was growing hair all over it. The chickenpox hadn’t come close to just how torturous I found that particular itch.

It wasn’t long before most of the changes were complete. The last of them were my muscles, all of them compacting and intensifying until each and every one held more strength than I’d had in my entire body pre-morph. I marvelled at it a little. The amount of power the wolverine had held in its significantly smaller muscles was much more impressive if you took size into account, heck, it could put up a good fight against a painted wolf, but it was still amazing that this much strength was mine. I could tell the difference from the wolverine too. These muscles weren’t meant for overwhelming amounts of stored power, they were designed for long, high speed running.

But it was the difference in instincts that really got me. I didn’t feel the ferocity I did the last time I morphed a carnivore. Instead, I felt calm, relaxed. Until I sniffed the air. After that, I was confused. My pack was missing. That wasn’t right. We were loyal to each other, protective. A family. How could I be so separated from them.? I couldn’t even smell them. I could smell something similar, but it definitely wasn’t my kind and they weren’t anywhere nearby.

Sniffing again and again, I tried to determine where I was and where my pack would be, but everything smelled wrong to me. The plants didn’t smell right, and the animals weren’t in any way recognisable. In fact, the only smell that was even slightly identifiable was a bag filled with...

‘That’s me.’ I realised, physically shaking my head. My scent was all over my clothes. My human scent had brought me back to reality. I would have found that amusing if I wasn’t annoyed with myself. I’d focused on the carnivore aspect and completely forgotten to take everything that was common among canines into account. Without a threat, prey or a serious infringement on territory, there wasn’t a need for ferocity. All breeds of non-magical wolves were intelligent, loyal and gentle to their own. I’d prepared for the wrong type of mind and got lost in the instincts again.

‘Still, no point scolding myself right now.’ I decided, calming the wolf. I knew where my ‘pack’ was and that was all the wolf needed to relax. So now, nothing was preventing me from going for a run, letting myself get lost in its confidence and seeing what it could do. ‘And away I go! Whoo!’ It only took a second to go from stationary to bounding through the forest, weaving smoothly through the trees with grace and speed my clumsy feet could never have pulled off. The speed, the stamina, the ease that I leapt over roots and boulders, bobbed under low branches and the power I could feel in my muscles with each bound. It was exhilarating. I found myself howling more than once and was almost always laughing in my head. Even the fact that the forest housed horribly dangerous creatures, that my howls might draw their attention, didn’t bother me. The wolf was cautious to notice nearby animals, but wasn’t afraid of them and for once, neither was I.

I don’t know how long I spent wandering the forest. I probably should have taken more care with the time, I was risking getting trapped as a wolf forever, but strangely, I found myself ok with that thought. Not that I wanted to get stuck, but in this form, it wouldn’t be the worse fate in the world. It was perfect. Mentally and physically, it was everything I want to become. Everything I currently needed.

....

Strangely enough, I never really ran into anything worth mentioning. I smelled animals, but either they ignored me or avoided me, with the exception of a few birds that flew over my head. My first actual encounter didn’t occur at all until I’d reminded myself of my limited time before my Transfiguration class and ran back to my bag.

It was a good thing I did, for when I returned to the small clearing I’d left it in, I almost freaked. Five Cornish Pixies were cackling away and digging through my stuff, spilling it all over the ground.

“Grrrr!” The growl left my jaw before I even realised that the wolf was annoyed. The animal mind still registered my stuff as my property and the pixies were causing quite an offense. Besides, I was a bit hungry. The wolf mind thought that they’d taste good.

Unsurprisingly, the pixies turned their attention to me, but weren’t in any way afraid. In fact, once they registered what I was and how annoyed I was, they actually started cackling with glee.

Three of the little pests came at me immediately, laughing in my ears as they swooped down ripped out some of my fur. Furious, I whipped my head up and snapped at each and every one of them, but they were as tricky to catch as flies. I got lucky with the fourth one as it came down. It aimed for my tail, only for me to kick it into a tree head first with my back paw, leaving it dazed on a large root.

Seeing the fifth one still going through my bag, I ignored the other three completely and bound at it. The little pain never stood a chance, too busy cackling away as it picked up my tie and screeched as it found itself caught between my teeth. It took a lot of care to stop my teeth from sinking right through it, but I still decided to shaking it around before spitting it back out onto the ground. Between its vertigo and my saliva coating its wings, it wasn’t going anywhere.

I wasn’t sure whether the other three found all this aggravating or amusing as the each gave a loud ‘HA HA!’ and flew right at me, ramming into my side and stunning me as they knocked me right off my feet. I’d forgotten how strong they were. Word had spread like crazy in my second year that when that idiot, Lockhart, had released a cage full of these things in his classroom and Neville had been lifted and hung from the ceiling by just two of them. I never saw it happen myself, Lockhart actually seemed to have learned a lesson himself after that disaster, but it was a good reminder that size can often be deceiving where magic was involved.

“Grrroouughh!” Howling at them, I jumped back up onto my feet as they laughed, flying around my head and jabbing me so hard that I flinch. I snapped my teeth at them again and jumped up onto my back paws, swinging my front ones, but nothing I did touched them.

‘Come on Anthony, think!’ I snapped, ducking as a laughing pixie came at my ear. I had to stop the instinctive attack and think this through. If I was in my true form I’d just cast a few simple sleep or freezing spells, but the length of time I’d spend helpless between forms ruled that plan out immediately. My paws and teeth were clearly ineffective, so what did that leave me with?

‘Environment.’ I stated immediately, starting a number of random jumps and dashes as the blue pains came in again and again. ‘What have I got, trees, rocks, my bag...my robes!’ It was the best plan I could come up with, kind of basic, but it just might work. Ducking low and avoiding another swoop, I ran straight for my clothes. Ignoring my pants, I ran up right next to my bag, grabbed my outer robe in my teeth and flung around with it just as the still flying pixies swooped in again.

“Waa!” Mischievous, but stupid, all three of them dropped their mouths in startled terror as the black fabric flew up and over them before coming down. With the heavy fabric collapsing on their wings, they had no choice but to fall to the ground.

Mentally snickering to myself as their panicked squabbling and feeling quite proud of my victory, I placed my front paws on the robe and held it down around them before resting my face on the bump that was them, ensuring that they were stuck and flightless before beginning to demorph. It was a bit of a challenge keeping my hands and face in place while my features shifted, shrunk or grew, not to mention the fact that the brats poked my eyes more than once, but even after all the fur had disappeared and my body had regained its original shape, they were still stuck snugly in place.

Ignoring my modesty for a few minutes, reassuring myself that only the pixies would see me, I ignored my clothes and pulled my wand out of my robe pocket.

“Impedimenta!” Covered in black fabric or not, the spell hit all three pixies at once and left them completely immobilised. Relaxing a little, I turned back to the other two and fired the spell twice more before either one could cause me problems.

Finally feeling safe, I threw myself back into my other clothes before picking up my robe and casting a banishing charm, sending the three former captives off to their friend on the tree root and tumbling away. Turning to the last one, I was about to do the same when a sudden thought struck me.

“You know, you might be useful.” I mused, crouching down and scooping it into my hand and pointing my wand at it again. “Somnus!”

It took only a few seconds for the pixie to yawn and close its eyes, collapsing into my palm the moment my jinx wore off. I doubted it would last long, the spell only caused a light sleep, but it would be more than enough until I got a box to transfigure into a proper cage.

After all, what better way was there to convince a sceptic, pureblood, aristocratic wizard that he had a supernatural Muggle power than having him acquire and become a magical troublemaker himself?


	3. Anthony

As predicted, the DA meeting was a place of chaos. With its original run, the Golden Trio, particularly Po...Harry, had always taken charge, much like the Professors would in a genuine class and since its reformation, Neville, Ginny and Luna had been the ones to keep everyone in unity, with some help from Ernie and Seamus. Whether we were just a rebellious study group or a genuine resistance movement, we’d always had a leader before now to look to. So, now that none of those leaders were left, naturally the group had broken into factions and couldn’t stop arguing with each other. With everyone getting more frustrated by the day, and some factions going wild, this was getting heated.

“I don’t see what’s wrong with striking down that-”

“More and more Death Eaters come each day! Do you really think that doing nothing about it will get us-”

“Damn Carrows! My burns are going to take weeks to heal. I can barely use my arm!”

“Have you ever considered that your actions are what causes-”

“Don’t turn this on me, git! If you had your way, we’d all be lying down and letting them walk their muddy boots all over our-”

“Neville-"

“Should just go down and bust them out ourselves.”

“If you’re going to be so stupid-”

“You’re just spineless.”

“H-hey!” I called, flinching at just how pathetic I sounded. This was far from my element, I really wished Terry would take over. He wouldn’t though. If I wanted people to ever listen to me, I had to prove that I was worth listening to. I had to earn their respect on my own. “Guys...guys, calm down.”

It was no use, my voice kept coming out to broken, too quiet. It was swallowed up instantly in the shouting that was only growing louder.

“If this keeps up, they might actually turn wands on each other.” Terry muttered worriedly beside me, biting his lip. I could see what he meant, it was absolutely nuts. People demanding more action, people arguing over whether vandalism or openly attacking Death Eaters was better, a few pointing out the other students in the middle, it was all so garbled that I was barely making out single words by the time Terry finished talking. And I’d sat through more Ravenclaw house debates than I could count!

It had me hyperventilating in moments. Normally I ran far away when things got this bad. I never knew how to calm people, I wasn’t good with people, period, and furious arguments left me feeling far too helpless. I could feel it then, the urge to run and hide. Find a hidden corner, soundproof it and hide behind a runes book until it was over. But if I did, then I failed again. The DA would still run wild. Hannah and Padma were already trying to calm everyone down and I’d be surprised if either of them was even being heard. Terry would try if I chickened out, but I doubted he’d succeed. They would already have expected him to try and ignore him. Besides, he had nothing to influence them with except logic and that was obviously not working with the rash and righteous. We needed something really shocking, something that would shut them up and make them listen. Something with acceptable backing.

That’s why I was the key factor. Why shy, nervous me could do it. So I did the one thing I could. I focused on the ferocity I felt back when I morphed wolverine. I focused on the confidence the painted wolf was so full of. And I got mad.

“Sonorus!” I whispered the spell as I pointed my wand to my throat. Even Terry barely heard it. Still, recognition flashed through his face a second later, his jaw dropped, stunned, before he quickly covered his ears. “EVERYONE SHUT UP!”

I feel the need to mention that the amplifying charm enhanced one’s voice in volume to the point where they could be heard clearly from one side of a Quidditch pitch to the other. I’d just used it in a closed room. Add that to the fact that I made sure my anger was evident in every word, it was clearly a demand and I didn’t stutter so much as once. So, naturally, the first thing everyone did was scream in pain, their hands flying up to clasp their ears. Then, just as understandably, they all turned to me with varying looks of shock, pain and indignation. But mostly, it was the shock that was noticeable, the whole room falling into complete silence.

“I have a question for you all.” I stated coldly, moving my wand away, but keeping it close to my neck. A clear warning. My tone and glare were so anti-me that they almost did the job completely on their own, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I didn’t know how long I could hold this state of mind and I simply had to get everything said and done before it went back to wherever it came from. “Are you all suicidal and uncaring or just plain stupid?

“When Neville and the others restarted this group, it was made clear that while we would make our resistance known, while we would increase our powers and skills to fight the battle we all know will soon come, we would only make ourselves appear to be a nuisance or irritation. The most we would do was interfere with unfair and torturous punishments. A few pranks, a little disruption, that was fine, but we were to stay small scale and subtle. Did any of you vengeance seeking morons ever stop to think why?

“It was to prevent exactly what you have caused and complain about now!” I exclaimed quickly, jerking my wand closer to my throat as a few people tried to retort. “Because Neville, Ginny and Luna had stopped for five seconds to think! You think they wouldn’t love to lay waste to every Death Eater that walked through our halls? You don’t think Seamus would love to put his pyrotechnic skills into play and wreak havoc or that Ernie wouldn’t love to lash out with ever curse, hex and jinx he knows? Of course they would! But they thought about what would happen next. The Dark Lord and Snape would respond. They won’t allow Hogwarts to slip into our hands, it’s too great a fortress to want turned against you! They want it for them, they want to use the school to turn impressionable children to their disgusting way of thinking. When you went wild and attack everything related to the Carrows and the Death Eaters in sight, when you went aggressive, you exposed us for the threat that we are and now the Death Eaters are responding to it. Bringing more people in, lessening our ability to move around unnoticed, inflicting more pain. The fact that they were underestimating us so much before was our one advantage and now it’s gone. Every new Death Eater, punishment and restriction is the result of your actions. And this will only make everything so much more difficult for us now. Not only for while we’re here, but also for the day that we gathered to prepare for in the first place, when we finally can move to take the castle back.”

The whole room actually fell into silence as I finished talking. I guess it was safe to say that the shock plan worked. Without going into a lecture about history or rune circles with Terry, I could never have said that much at once in my entire life. Shy, nervous, often stuttering Goldstein had just ranted and scolded with a very intimidating attitude. To be honest, even I was surprised by just how cold and intense I could be.

“We could just take the castle back now!” Vane responded irritably, finding her voice first and getting a few slow nods from those around her. “Why should we stay under Death Eater rule here? After all, you said it yourself, this place makes the ultimate fortress.”

“Not when most of the people still here to defend it are undertrained children.” Hannah declared, crossing her arms. I had to send her a grateful look for that one. My speech was over, my helping of shock and logic delivered and I could already feel that intensity that got me through it all receding. Hannah however, looked ready to roll, firm and unyielding. “When the actual battle begins, while Death Eaters are fighting Auras and adult rebels elsewhere or when reinforcements join us here, yes, we can take the castle back. But if we try too soon, You Know Who will focus too many of his forces here for us to defend against, if he doesn’t just come himself. Do you really want to face that?”

“And that’s without taking his hold over the Ministry and his unseen pawns here into account.” Padma added with her favourite, no nonsense tone. One thing that made Padma a perfect prefect was that she could resemble both the fun aunt or the scolding mother. You loved her when she was happy and terrified if she caught you out of line. “Don’t forget that not only the Minister of Magic and other major politicians are under You Know Who’s thumb, giving him the backing of the full power of the Ministry, but Anthony has discovered that the imperious curse has been put into place on people within the school as well. Without knowing every person under the Death Eaters’ influence, we could push all our known enemies out the door only for an unwilling spy to open them right up for the full dark army.”

“The simple fact is that we don’t have the knowledge or power to pull such a thing off yet.” Terry summed up as most of the newer members of the DA grumbled to themselves or glared at the walls. They weren’t too thrilled with our unrefusable argument. “And if the current circumstances continue, we won’t when the time comes either. For now, we need to lie low and hope this cools off.”

“Hiding and saving students from detentions is still fine of course.” I added quickly as looks of defiance appeared on more than one face. “Just no going overboard. Only do as much as it takes to safely get them and yourself away. Remember, Neville and the others knew what they were doing when they orchestrated our methods.”

“But look where they got them!” Fay retorted, unnerving me as she stared me down. That girl is scarily similar to a lioness, her scowls and glare are enough to strike fear in the hearts of her adversaries on their own. Which just seems wrong to me. Normally she has such a pretty face. “Their methods got us almost nowhere and now we’re without them. Why should we listen to you and keep going with useless methods?”

“We need to get more ground.” Michael agreed, ignoring the glare Terry and Padma were sending him. “What good is just saving kids from detention and marking walls if we just have to repeat the same things every day? We’re not getting anywhere.”

“Right now, it’s all about keeping hope alive and all of us in sufficient condition to fight.” I stated as calmly as I could, flinching a little as my voice shook.

“They’re right Michael and you know it.” Bones butted in, moving beside Hannah and bringing a grin to my face and a smile to Terry’s. Parvati and Lavender moved up beside Padma not a second later, nodding their heads, with Nigel slowly following behind. With the sole exception of Michael, every one of the original members of the DA in the room was backing us up. “Yes, we do need to gain a better footing, I agree, but we need to do it the right way and that will involve careful planning and the perfect circumstances with a lot of safe ways to back out if we must. What’s random destruction and electrifying Professor Death Eaters going to do?”

“Technically, the electrocution thing was Tony’s doing.” Michael muttered, making me blush embarrassedly as the others turned to me with looks that all either said ‘hypocrite’ or ‘you’re my hero’.

“That...that was the only w-way I could t-think of to stop her from reaching you before you ran.” Great, now my stutter was back. Confidence, anger, come back, I need you. “And it was just enough to make the victim j-jump and fall down. It...didn’t really hurt her.”

“Just gave her a new hairstyle.” Nigel snickered, getting snorts from, well, most of the DA. Even Terry was smirking at that mental image.

“Even the smartest of us are likely to make mistakes when panic sets in.” Hannah said calmly, though even she was fighting a grin. “I’m sure Anthony has no intention of zapping her again. Now, is everyone clear? Are you going to put a lid on it?”

Each of us watched as Michael and the newer recruits mulled it over. Michael looked annoyed, but nodded grudgingly anyway, getting a proud look from Lisa. All six of the new Hufflepuff members took it well enough, thankfully. They always are and always will be a loyal bunch with a clear understanding of the rewards of patience. If their prefect and senior members saw reasons to tone it down, they could concede to that.

The seven new Gryffindors were definitely a harder challenge, but most of us senior members didn’t have to say a word. A look from Hannah, a raised eyebrow from Terry and ‘give it up’ looks from the rest of the room had them grumbling in defeat a few minutes later.

“But when Longbottom and the others get out, we better start planning more.” Jason Swann, a sixth year, stated, quickly getting backed by most of the other Gryffindors.

“Tell the big guys that, they do the planning.” Hannah shrugged. Fortunately, that was enough to settle everyone, though plenty still looked less than thrilled. It was a good thing too, for the meeting couldn’t go on for too much longer. Curfew was getting far too close and the Hufflepuffs in particular really needed to move. On second thought, so did us Ravenclaws, our tower was much further away than Gryffindor’s.

Wrapping everything up, we called the meeting to an end and sent the others out on their way a few at a time. I chose to hang at the back of the room and leave the evacuation process in Terry, Padma and Hannah’s hands. A number of the others were still giving me looks of irritation or disbelief and it was making me uncomfortable. Still, that didn’t stop the small grin accompanying my embarrassed blush when Terry sent away the last group and turned to me with the proudest smile he’d ever given me.

“Dude, you were awesome! Did you see their faces? They were gaping like fish the whole time you ranted at them. Most couldn’t even remember to be insulted! I was scared of you and I wasn’t even being told off!”

“Where did that come from?” Hannah asked excitedly as Terry swung an arm around my shoulders and bounced me around as he laughed. “It really was impressive.”

“And it hit home so well coming from you.” Padma nodded, finally letting me see the amazement she’d held back during the meeting. “That was so...anti-you. You actually got the message drilled into their heads!”

“I couldn’t have done it without you guys.” I muttered bashfully, my cheeks growing hotter as I turned my head to the floor. “It’s not like I could stop them all on my own.”

“Hey, we only reinforced what you said. You did almost all of it.” Hannah replied, gently forcing my chin up until I was looking at their smiling faces. “Most of them were convinced before we said a word. Don’t sell yourself so short.”

“Yeah, after that display, you’re not allowed to.” Padma agreed with a laugh. “Oh, if you told me yesterday that shy little Anthony could be as intimidating as Professor McGonagall...simply amazing Tony.”

“Thanks guys.” I smiled as Terry tightened his grip on me. I never realised how good this would feel. Taking a firm grip on things, standing proud in front of everyone. It was nerve-wracking as hell, but...I don’t know, I guess the best description of my feelings was pride and accomplishment. It felt so good to be praised for an actual stand and achievement, to be listened to seriously and respected outside of classes. To have people proud of me for something I actually did instead of just something I learned.

“Come on, let’s get back. We haven’t got much time.” Terry said a few minutes later as we all finally calmed down a little.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Hannah sighed, a little reluctant to leave, but conceding to the point. “Gotta make sure it at least looks like we went on patrol tonight, which means running into Parkinson near the Great Hall before I get to head in. See you all tomorrow.”

“Night Hannah.” We called after her as she left, Padma close behind. We wouldn’t have to bump into a Slytherin prefect, but a Carrow was still likely to check our patrol areas. It was really important that we looked like we’d been around if we didn’t want suspicion and torture type curses coming our way.

“I’ll see you back at the tower.” Terry grinned at me, heading for the door too. However, before he could pass through it, I grabbed his arm, stopping him in place.

“Actually Terry, I need a favour.” I said, biting my lip nervously as he turned back to me curiously.

“What’s going on Tony?” That curious look quickly turned wary when he looked at me and understandably so. He’s my best friend, he’s the one person I’m never nervous about asking anything of. He knows me too well to not realise just how much he wasn’t going to like this.

“I need to talk to an informant tonight. It has to happen.” I started quickly, staring at him pointedly. He was the one person who knew that I had a spy somewhere in the school dropping me information. It was how he knew about the Controller Ravenclaw girls ‘being under the imperious curse’. “But there’s no way I’ll get back to the tower in time.”

“Anthony!” Terry cried, quickly growing exasperated. “Do you realise what will mean for you? What are you thinking?”

“That this has to happen.” I stated again, this time more firmly. “It’s the only time that we could meet without being noticed. I’ll come back here and sleep. I’ll be safe from the Carrows, as long as you set up a glamour charm over my bed again. Please Terry, trust me.”

“You’re really going to take this risk? Even after just telling the whole DA off for doing just that?” He scowled down at me, effectively sending guilt through me. “At the very least, this could have repercussions when Michael notices. Your rant could end up being for nothing.”

“The difference is that I’m only risking myself in a situation where I can just say I lost track of time. It’ll be consequential to me, but not to anyone else.” I argued, trying to keep my face blank. Any hesitation or guilt and Terry will exploit it. He would keep arguing until I missed my meeting and he was locked out too. “If Michael asks, I’ll just tell him that I got held up on my fake patrol and didn’t make it back in time.”

“Are you kidding? You can’t lie for crap. I’ll have to set it in his mind tonight.” Terry sighed, suddenly looking thoroughly exhausted. “Is this really so important that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”

“You have no idea.” I nodded earnestly, unable to stop my desperation from shining through.

“And you’re not going to give me any idea.” I couldn’t stop myself from flinching at that shot. I was being pegged with confusion and hurt from my best friend. He tells me everything and a week ago, I him. To know that I’m purposely holding something important back now...well, I wasn’t the only one feeling pretty crappy about it. I might as well have walked up to him and said ‘I have no faith in you’. Which sucked even more because it was the farthest thing from the truth.

Yet, despite that, he still proved he had faith in me and nodded his head in defeat. “Fine. I’ll help cover for you. Just...don’t get caught mate. If you do, our glamour charm ruse will be blown.”

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of being seen.” I muttered, feeling both thankful for his trust and help and feeling an either bigger sting at my supposed lack of trust in him because of it. That and the fact that now he wouldn’t even look me in the eye, opting to frown sadly at the floor. “Thank you, mate.”

Nodding his head, he turned and headed back to Ravenclaw Tower without so much as a goodbye. My stomach clenched as I watched him go. I hated how horrible I’d made him feel, hated how I’d crushed his good mood. I trusted him more than Neville, Padma or even my own parents and I had to go and make it clear that I was keeping something very big from him. I couldn’t even explain why I had to keep it from him. He’d understand if I could, but that would reveal what I was keeping from him, making the whole thing redundant. Now, he was probably going to spend all night wondering what he did wrong.

“I’ll just have to make it up to him.” I sighed miserably, leaving the room myself. I had to hurry if I wanted to get to the classroom in time.

After all this, there was no way I was going to blow it with Blaise. Something had to make this worth it.


	4. Blaise

My name is Blaise Zabini.

I had to admit that I was a little frustrated. I couldn’t determine what Goldstein had done or why he was so desperate to talk to me. It was out of his character.

Somehow, he had entered his thoughts into my mind. That alone was cause for curiosity. It was very advanced magic, there were few that could successfully intrude on one’s mind like that. Those that could were very experienced and talented wizards, all of them masters of Legimency. I knew for a fact that Goldstein would never even consider using magic that was so invasive.

There was even another issue with this that I couldn’t understand. I had read about the thought projection spell. Though it only works the one way, the user still forces their way into your mind. You feel it digging into your head. You feel pressure as they enter your head. You feel some of their emotions too. My mother mentioned it once when I asked her on the subject. She mentioned that the Dark Lord had done it once over an entire area that she had the misfortune of crossing. She felt his malice, his wicked joy. However, all of this was absent. I got his thought up sentences, nothing more. None of it made sense.

“And then he had the Halfblood banging his head against the table shouting ‘I am not worthy’.” A round of cackles and laughter filled the entire common room as one of the fifth years over dramatically told a story from his Dark Arts class. Naturally, half the house found it hilarious. The rest found it good enough to smirk at. I simply found it annoying and ignored them. Theodore on the other hand, had to duck his head, hiding his face in his hair.

It was only because I was sharing a table with him and knew how to read him that I caught it at all. The flicker of anger and sadness crossing dark blue orbs. Theodore Nott is one of the few people I genuinely felt pity for. He comes from an ancient, pureblood family, an aristocratic one that has always believed in pureblood supremacy since its beginning. His father was one of the Dark Lord’s friends in school, was one of the first Death Eaters and had always held a very high position in his Inner circle.

So naturally, Theodore was raised to be the perfect, pureblood aristocrat, a worthy heir to the House of Nott. To look down on all those who were deemed inferior to him, to be the epitome of pureblood supremacy. His clothes, outside his uniform were always custom designed versions of upper class robes, his stringy blond hair was always at least reaching down to an inch from his shoulders and always passed them when it was time to go home. His face was always carefully made blank or scowling at anyone purebloods considered lowly or distasteful. He looked and acted just like the perfect pureblood his father wanted. And he absolutely hated all of it.

The truth was that hidden under all of it was a very kind person. He had no problem with Muggles and Mudbloods, he got annoyed when I called them that. In fact, he really preferred them and blood traitors. But he could never let his father know, the consequences would be horrible. His father was a cruel man, even to his son if he didn’t conform with his beliefs and demands and now that the Dark Lord had returned, it had only gotten worse for him.

He was rather fortunate that his father had him learn how to hide his emotions and put up masks. It was the one thing that allowed his true nature to go unnoticed, both at home and in Slytherin House, where any of our housemates could expose him to his father if he ever gave away anything. And when he couldn’t hold it anymore, he hid behind the bangs that normally drove him crazy.

I was the only person who knew his secret and at first that freaked him out. It wasn’t until he realised a week later that I was keeping my mouth shut that he approached me about it and relaxed.

“Is there really nothing else they can talk about?” I barely heard the words escaping his lips, not that I was supposed to. That was a slip up that was occurring more and more these days. He desperately wanted to stop the mistreatment, but even attempting it would put him through misery by the other Slytherins, his father and Death Eaters. Being disowned with nothing but the clothes on his back would be the nicest part by far. His self preservation wasn’t allowing it. That didn’t stop his frustration and misery from growing though.

I didn’t bother with an answer. I’d only give him a look and his hair would block it from view anyway.

For the most part we ignored the rest of our House. While they kept around us elsewhere, in our common room they left us mostly alone. We had made it firmly known that we were neutral in this civil war and had no interest in talking about the Dark Lord’s ‘glorious conquests’. That alone got us a few glares and had Theodore’s father angry with him, but as long as we weren’t siding with the enemy, they mostly dealt with it. So while they were bragging about what they and the Death Eaters were doing, we were left to our own devices. Theodore was currently trying to distract himself with the properties of potion ingredients and their compatibility while I was going over everything I could find on thought projection. The more I learned, the more I was sure that Goldstein would never touch the stuff.

“Hey, you know those Prefects are out doing rounds right now. What do you say we give them some grief?” Bulstrode called, getting some snickers and keen nods as ten people got up. The whole group laughed uproariously at the prospect of leaving the first Hufflepuff Prefect they saw frozen in place and covered in sludge.

As inappropriate as the future Death Eaters’ intentions were, they did have their benefit. They reminded me to check my watch. If I wished to accept Goldstein’s request, even ignoring my curiosity over what he’d done, I had to leave now.

“You’re going too?” I barely heard Theodore as I stood up, placing my book down on the table. Glancing over at him, I managed to catch the instance his mask completely shattered. He only let me see it for a second before he shifted his head down and hid behind his bangs again, but only a fool would miss the raw fear and sadness he’d pierced me with. “I...I thought you weren’t interested.” He forced out, struggling to keep the nonchalance in his voice. I barely noticed the strain, but it was there.

“I’m not.” I deadpanned as his once again blank face looked up at me. “I have no interest in doing anything with or for Death Eaters.” It was a paranoid assumption on his part, but considering that I could ruin his facade, this wasn’t the first time I’d followed Death Eater Wannabes out and I was hardly as pro blood traitor and Mudblood as he was, it was understandable. I could be swayed a lot easier than him and if I gave away his secret then it was all over for him.

Taking note of the number of people still close by, I took a step closer to Theodore and gave him a look indicating for him to stand before continuing, keeping my voice very low. “If you must know, I am going to have a talk with a member of that little group you admire so much.”

“Goldstein?” Theodore whispered, this time letting his surprise show through as he frowned. He knew who, there were few outside of Slytherin that I’d ever said a single word to. “But his curfew is real soon. He’d never meet you and get back to his House before he was sealed out. What are you up to?”

“Don’t know. I’m more intrigued than anything else.” I responded before nodding goodbye and walking off. I could feel him frowning at me all the way out of the common room.

....

I had to move slower than I normally would. Now that we were outside the common room, the other Slytherins were likely to try and draw me into their theatrics. It was a standard tactic, making it look like the entire House was united and therefore, more intimidating. They especially liked me being present because I gave off plenty of intimidation on my own.

Not that I cared too much. Goldstein sounded desperate, the thought of someone like him resorting to mental intrusion only emphasising the point, and he was naturally a patient person. He’d be grateful I showed up even if I was an hour late.

Reaching the door, I was about to open it when I felt the sudden urge to go back to reading my book. Why would I let someone like Goldstein know that they had knowledge to hold over me? I shouldn’t be curious how he got into my mind, I should be able to tell him exactly how he did it and demand to know what made him think that he could enter my head without my permission.

However, as quickly as the urge appeared, it disappeared again, leaving me a little confused. I had come to respect Goldstein’s talents and knowledge. I had no problem with asking him for an explanation and I had no real issue with him entering my head. He swore I was only listening to his thoughts, he didn’t have a clue what mine were. There was no way he could without Legimency and I knew that he’d never touch such a thing.

Taking another look at the door, I smirked in realisation. It was hastily drawn, but off to the side of it was a rune circle, a complex one at that. I didn’t know all the runes in use, but I definitely recognised the distraction runes used to send people away and what Goldstein told me was some type of filtering rune. He must have used this instead of a spell to allow me immunity from it. Other than our Runes Professor herself, Goldstein was the only person in the school that could do something so complex. If I didn’t know better, I’d think that he was showing off.

Opening the door, I watched as Goldstein stopped fiddling with something behind a bench and whipped around only to relax and offer a relieved grin as I shut the door behind me. “Blaise! Thanks so much for coming.”

“Rather impressive rune work. Though overpowered. I don’t believe I was supposed to be affected at all.” I commented with a small dip of my head. “You must be desperate. All this advanced magic you’re putting into this private meeting. Entering my mind. I still don’t believe you have that in you. The steps to such magic are too invasive for you.”

“True.” He said slowly, hesitantly biting his lip. “I was in a hurry when I drew the circle. I might have overcharged it a bit, I was just glad that it didn’t blow up on me or something, you know? It’d only take a few runes being drawn too wonky or adding a tail or something to one.”

“You’re rambling.” I stated stoically, Goldstein immediately shutting his mouth with a snap. That wasn’t it either. He was pointedly focusing on the runes, not the thought projection. He was more nervous than usual. His hands were twiddling like they did with his quill every time a Professor praised him or asked him to speak before the class. Still, I’d let the mental invasion go for a little longer. “I believe you have a reason for such extremes. If this was about homework, you would have spoken to me after class.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” He nodded, though now he was even growing hesitant just to look at me. “This is...that is to say...um...”

I just stared, waiting. I was probably unnerving him even more, watching him so intently, but I didn’t offer any words. He’d get it out. He always did. Eventually.

“It’s about that night...in the forest.” The last part came out a lot softer than I was expecting. I only heard it because the room had a slight echo.

“What about it?” I asked emotionlessly. “I believe I made it clear that night that my assistance was a onetime thing. I have no intention of being involved again.”

“Except...in a part of it, none of us has a choice in the matter. You did become involved.” Goldstein responded slowly, biting his lip as he watched me worriedly. I gave him nothing, I just stood there, waiting for him to explain. “When you saw the Muggles there, when you touched the box...it made you too dangerous to leave on your own. This isn’t about the Statute of Secrecy!” He added quickly as I scoffed. “This is about something a lot bigger. A lot more dangerous.”

I admit, that caught my attention. What could be so dangerous about seeing them with Muggle filth and a glowing Muggle contraption? Besides the Death Eaters’ opinion of the matter of course, but I now highly doubted that had anything to do with this. “Explain.”

“First, I need to confirm something.” If he bit his lip any harder, he was going to rip it apart as he stepped right in front of me. Raising his hand, he gave me a silent request. Intrigued, I clasped it with my own and waited for an explanation. “When you touched the box, did the tingling feel like this?”

A mere second after he finished talking, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration and yes, the familiar tingling the box gave me was suddenly dancing over every piece of skin that Goldstein was touching. However, this time all my senses dulled, along with my mind. I felt my whole body relax and my eyes drooped half closed. I can’t say that it was unpleasant. In fact, I couldn’t even find the will to care that my brain wasn’t working at its normal speed. All I could do was give in and relax.

Goldstein gently dropped my hand a few seconds later, though my mind barely registered it. I stayed like that for another good ten seconds before my mind started to clear and I was able to focus on Goldstein’s nervous face. Once I did though, reality came back like a slap in the face. Goldstein had just dulled my mind!

“I’m sorry, I forgot about the trance inducement.” He said quickly, giving me the most apologetic look I’d ever seen. Not that many were ever directed towards me. Slytherins would never give me genuine apologies and the other students were always scared that I was going to curse them. Goldstein and Theodore were the only people who would ever consider it. “I should have warned you. Sorry.”

“What was that?” I asked, getting right to the point. I knew Goldstein was being honest and I knew he wouldn’t plot against me, so I wasn’t really mad. But I still wanted an answer.

“The trance is a by-product, just like the tingling I asked about, for a transfer. Was the tingling sensation like the one the box gave you?” He asked nervously.

“Yes. Now what is this transfer? What did you and that box take?” I asked, a little irritated now. Something was being taken from me?

“I got a sample of your DNA, nothing you’ll miss, don’t worry. You have plenty more. It’s like losing one drop of blood.” He answered, his hands going back to fiddling like crazy as his eyes stared at the ground. I didn’t know what DNA was, but I didn’t see any reason to not believe him. You could tell when he lied. “The box however, didn’t take anything. I’m sorry, I know I should have asked before taking some of your DNA, but I needed to be sure before I said anything else. You see, your answer to my question confirmed that the box gave you something.”

What in the name of Merlin? Gave me something? “What could a Muggle toy possibly give me besides a disease?” I cried, surprising even myself when my astoundment and disbelief broke through to the surface. It took a good moment to school my face back to my usual blank look and Goldstein took just as long to start speaking, seeming to struggle to find his tongue.

“That wasn’t made by Muggle humans. In fact, it wasn’t even made on Earth.” What the hell? What was he talking about?

“You don’t really expect me to believe that it dropped out of the sky, do you?” I asked and let me tell you, it was a struggle not to look at him like I thought he was insane. He still seemed to catch on though, for he flinched again before taking a few deep breaths.

“I’ll explain it all in a few moments.” He said softly, seeming to lose more and more of his confidence. “First, I’ll answer your first question. It gave you power. A specific type of power, that’s actually broken into three. The first one is absorbing DNA, like I just did to you. This is so you can use the second, the main one. It’s...just watch and bear in mind that I’ve drank no potions.” With that, he took out his wand and placed it on a desk, right out his reach as he turned back to me. Only this time, while his nerves were still clear to see, there was a surprising amount of determination coming my way too. “Normally this is disgusting to watch, just a so you’re prepared.”

“Prepared for...” I started, only for my mouth to freeze midsentence. He had done nothing but frown and yet his skin was noticeably darkening. It only got stranger from there as his hair started curling slightly, the way mine did when it gained a bit of length, while darkening to black. Shrugging off his outer robe, I could see that his muscles were bulging a little, reshaping to match mine. What little difference in our heights was gone within moments, not that it was ever really noticeable to begin with, the air filling with the screeking and cracking sounds that I could only assume came from his bones expanding and reshaping. Finally, the light brown of his eyes darkened to my coffee coloured ones while his face reshaped itself, giving him more defined cheekbones, a more noticeable nose and tightening the skin around it a little more. By the time it was done, if it wasn’t for the blue and bronze tie and the lack of outer robes, I would have been staring at a perfect mirror image of how I looked right then.

“The ability is shapeshifting. Obviously.” He even had my exact voice! Admittedly, it sounded strange considering that the last time there had ever been any hint of nervousness or sheepishness in it was long before it deepened, but it was definitely my voice. Even Polyjuice potion couldn’t pull off the vocal change! I had to hand it to Goldstein. Six years of wild, unpredictable circumstances at Hogwarts and I’d gone through the whole series of events completely unphased, shrugging it all off. It was all possible after all, even if unlikely. And yet here was Goldstein leaving me speechless!

“I hope you don’t intend to do anything with my face.” I said dryly, though it was a struggle. I wasn’t going to let him know how shocked I was. To be shocked over something with origins with the Muggles...wait, how could the Muggles have ever pulled off something like this? It was a supernatural ability and that was advanced even beyond the magical equivalent!

“N-no! Of course not!” He responded quickly, throwing up his...my, whatever, hands and shaking his head. “This was just...the best way I could think of showing you the whole set of abilities I’m talking about.”

“Then what is the third?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Focus on that for now, get my head a little more wrapped around the rest of it before dealing with the details. I felt that was the best way to handle the situation right now. The results were ultimately the most important part anyway.

“You’ve already experienced the third power.” Goldstein muttered, gnawing on his lip. It was good he didn’t intend to use my face, because anyone would see he was a fake in an instant. I did not show off any signs of nervousness. I wouldn’t be caught dead chewing on my lip. /It’s how I got the message to meet me to you./

I actually tensed at that, my eyes never leaving Goldstein as he watched me unsurely, waiting for my response. So that was how he did it? It wasn’t the thought projection spell at all, but a power granted by a glowing, Muggle contraption? I refused to believe it! There was no way that the Muggles could get this far when even magic only gave pale, pathetic comparisons! It was preposterous!

“The third power, thought speak, was actually an originally unintended addition.” Goldstein said quietly, though his tone had taken on the lecturing tone I often heard when I asked for assistance in Ancient Runes. Focusing back on reality, I found him slowly changing back into himself as he talked, putting a few hitches into his voice. “The race that created the power were the Andalites. You saw one that night. It was the blue creature comparable to a centaur. They have no mouths, so they always speak telepathically. I assume when they made the box, known as the Escafil Device or the morphing cube, they put in an adjustment so that they may continue communicating when they changed forms. As such, when we change forms, we gain the ability too. I was told by the original humans to use this power and the Andalite, Aximili, that practice and experience with the ability can even allow you to let others feel how you feel, even give people your courage.” By the time he had finished his lecture, he was completely back to normal.

“Andalites are a race from...another planet.” He continued before I could speak. He was just babbling now. Normally, I’d tell him to stop, but this time I wanted to know everything he had to tell me. I wanted answers, what made him think a non-magical thing could do all this, how to discredit the belief, anything that would make all of this make sense to me. Anything that I could wrap my head around. “They have no magic of their own and fear the few they know do. They are a highly scientific race, thousands of years beyond the Muggles. They are currently locked in a war with another race of aliens called Yeerks. These aliens are parasites that enter the host’s brain and take control of them. The Yeerks came to Earth and began a subtle invasion about a decade ago and the Andalites came to try and stop them only to be defeated. One of the few survivors found a group of teenagers and gave them the cube and its power as a last-ditch effort to stop the Yeerks. You see, the cube gives you the power to turn into any animal you touch, not just the ability to go from one human to another. This way, the teenagers, who called themselves the Animorphs, could both fight the Yeerks and hide their identities from them under the guise of Andalite Bandits.”

He kept rambling on from there and I made sure to listen to every word. He told me that these Yeerks had made their made to the Wizarding world, which was why the Muggles showed up here. He told me about the proof of the fact that he’d seen, from the giant centipedes called Taxxons, another race under the Yeerks’ employment, to the hole in the forest floor that led to a modified Chamber of Secrets. He told me about being saved by a wolf, about how these Animorphs made themselves known to their chosen helpers, the leaders of the DA and gaining the power himself. He told me of the trip to find Potter’s group, going to the zoo and even admitted to being involved in the Azkaban breakout, which was apparently inspired by the fact that it was a Yeerk goldmine. He told me about the bladed creatures there, Hork-Bajir, the shock troops of these Yeerks. And then he told me about the Yeerks in more depth.

I must admit, it did unnerve me. I really did not want to believe anything about them, even more so than about aliens inventing things that outdid magic. The descriptions he’d been given of Yeerk enslavement and what he’d seen for himself were sick and horrifying. It made the Imperious Curse sound humane! It was bad enough hearing about the desperate screams and struggles of those he’d seen being temporarily Yeerk free down in the Chamber of Secrets, but the rest of it? No one deserved it. No one deserved to have a slimy creature crawl into their head and rip away control of not only their bodies, but their minds. No one deserved to have every special moment, every thought, fear, emotion and memory felt and observed, exploited and laughed at.

“I do not wish to believe any of this.” I said once he finished, taking great care to keep my face blank now. It was all too much to take in, too unbelievable. Coming from anyone else, I would discard everything that had been said as false or stupidity in an instant, but Goldstein had me hesitant. He’d never make something like this up and he wouldn’t tell me unless he completely believed everything he said himself. In which case, I would have believed that he’d snapped, but that was countered by the evidence he’d given me of these...abilities. “This is...”

“Well beyond the understanding or beliefs of the traditional Wizarding world.” Goldstein nodded, his lips curling into a hesitant grin before turning serious again. “But I need you to believe me. Even though you didn’t realise what you’d seen and gained, if a Yeerk gets into your head, they would and we’d all be screwed. The Yeerks are currently moving very slowly, acquiring hosts, but trying to get as few people in positions to enter our civil war as they can. They really want a large number of hosts that have the intention of staying out of it. In addition, Slytherin is the most infested House at the moment, the Yeerks aiming for those that are too young to get involved in the war. There is also apparently a secret entrance to the Yeerk Pool in Slytherin House that’s just been completed. You’re one of the oldest students in that House and are openly neutral.”

“Everything makes me a prime target.” I summed up. “And if I could ruin you all before, I can destroy you completely now.”

“Exactly.” Goldstein nodded before sighing, giving me a defeated look. “Look, you don’t have to believe all of it. If you can’t grasp it all, or just refuse to accept it...that’s ok. I just need you to accept that there are people who are willing to do you harm and to make sure they never get you. Pay attention to Slughorn, or Baddock or Mandy and Morag from my House when they think no one’s listening to them and you’ll see enough to prove that at least. At this point, that’s all that I can ask.”

“I can be more cautious.” I accepted, getting a relieved smile in return. All the alien nonsense aside, it was entirely possible that there were undesirable characters around who would happily force others into their service. Actually, it was well established fact. And if accepting that was enough to make Goldstein relax, then that was fine. But still, this whole thing with ‘Muggle power’... “In return, I would like more proof of this power of yours.” I stated challengingly, raising an eyebrow as he frowned in return. “You claim that it allows you to turn into animals too, not just wizards?”

“Any that you’ve touched and acquired.” Goldstein nodded, loosening his tie. “Even magical creatures.”

“Prove it.” I said immediately. Now this I refused to believe until I saw it. No wizard had ever managed to shapeshift into an already existing magical creature before. The only time such a thing was even heard of was the legend of the Quintaped’s origins, when a family clan was turned into the monsters by a feuding clan. The clan responsible was all killed by the beasts when they failed again and again to reverse the spell after discovering just how dangerous the new creatures were. No one even knew how they did it, every attempt at transfiguring anything into a magical creature failed horribly, often ending in death, and no one had ever had one for an Animagus form. Whether the source of this power was magical or not, if Goldstein really could turn into a magical creature and back successfully...well, it would definitely make the rest of this nonsense a bit more plausible, even if I still loathed to admit it.

Goldstein blushed in response, something I couldn’t help but find strange, but he nodded anyway. As he sat on the desk, my raised eyebrow only rose higher as he removed his tie completely and moved on to his shoes. “What exactly are you doing?"

“This doesn’t work like Animagi.” He blushed harder, his socks quickly following his shoes to the floor before his hands slowly, hesitantly, moved to his belt. “Only certain clothes can morph with your body and that takes practice. I don’t even have the right clothes. The creature I intend to turn into is small, but last time my clothes caused problems, burying me in my shoes. I’m just aiming for an easier escape.” With that, he set his belt down on the table and unbuttoned his shirt, having it join his robe a moment later before standing back up. “Now, this will be disgusting.” He reminded me, pressing his lips together in a nervous grin before closing his eyes, a look of deep concentration growing on his face.

I watched on in disgust, almost puking as he shrank into his loosening pants, his skin going brown and hard, his fingers and toes fusing together. It was more than a little disturbing how his face sunk and hardened, not to mention the way his arms started bend backwards as well as forwards. Human arms weren’t supposed to do that! But what really got me was the sounds. Bones cracked and sawed away, what had to be his organs were slurping and squelching. It was so unnerving that I almost gave up on disciplining my appearance completely and covered my ears.

I was thankful that he shrunk right into the seat of his pants and got himself buried in them by the end of it. Watching such a slow, detailed change was simply disturbing. Though the result did prove his claims. When all the noises stopped, Goldstein climbed his way out and there before me stood a small, treelike bowtruckle. A very defined magical creature.

“That’s why you asked to take it back outside yourself.” It was a statement.

/That’s correct./ Goldstein admitted, taking off for a broken chair, quickly climbing up it and jumping onto the desk. /I knew a magical creature morph would be the best way to convince you I was telling you the truth. Though if you want more proof, I could morph into a painted wolf./

“Nothing would be proven by that morph now.” I replied blankly, never taking my eyes off of him. “There are no fallbacks to taking this form?” I let my curiosity show this time. It was fascinating. Without their specific magic, the plant-like body of a bowtruckle wouldn’t be able to survive. It would stiffen up like a tree, which would be fine if it didn’t need food and water, both consumed in the same manner as most other animals. But Goldstein was moving around perfectly. That could only mean... “Do you have its magic too?”

/Yes. It’s in its DNA. A tiny portion of it stays in my human form now too./ He answered, leaving me completely gobsmacked. This power he...we had been given could allow us to take on the power of other magical races? Was there any limit to this absorption and transformation? Would it even be successful with creatures as big and powerful as a Nundu or a dragon? And if so, just what are the effects on the human form?

‘I guess the only way to find out is to experiment.’ I decided, my mind set. Goldstein said that I had this power too. Now I just needed proof of that.

“So the first part of this works by touch, correct?” I asked, taking a step forward. “If I touch you, I absorb your DNA?”

/Normally, yes. You just have to concentrate on what you’re trying to acquire./ Goldstein answered. /But it won’t on me right now!/ He added hastily as I raised my hand to him. Dropping my hand, I raised an eyebrow and gave him my usual ‘explain’ look. /For some reason I don’t really understand, it’s impossible to acquire DNA from someone in morph. You can acquire the real me, but you need to acquire a real bowtruckle to morph one. However, I have an answer to that. Look in the cage under that sheet./ He said, pointing a thin, sharp finger to the desk beside his.

‘Typical Goldstein.’ I smirked, grabbing the sheet. The guy was always well prepared, usually to the point of overcompensating. I almost snorted when I lifted the sheet. There, snoring away was a Cornish pixie.

Opening the door, I slowly reached in, moving carefully so as not to wake the thing. It was small, but they were wild and strong little devils. With my hand in the cage and so close to it, I doubted that I’d manage to get my wand on it before the blighter dragged me halfway through the bars with it if it woke up.

Placing my finger on its wing, I spared a moment to get confirmation that I was doing it right and concentrated on the puny troublemaker. Its colour, its shape, anything I noticed about it. Once again, I felt the tingling sensation before, but the trance was completely absent. Instead, the pixie’s breathing actually slowed even more than its sleeping state had caused.

/That’s it, you’ve got it./ Goldstein said softly, not risking surprising me. Pulling my hand back, I closed the cage and turned back to Goldstein.

“What now?”

/You morph the same way you acquire, by concentrating on the form. You have to keep the concentration from beginning to end, but that’s the only challenge until the morph is complete./

“And after that?” I caught the meaning to that line loud and clear. He hadn’t told me something.

/You’ll get more than just the form and the pixie’s magic in place of your own when you morph. You will gain its basic instincts as well. They will try to take over and on the first time you take up the form, it’s easy for them to succeed./ He continued, hopping down from the desk. /While we’re talking about the dangers once you’ve morphed, there is one more that you must take note of now. There’s a time limit risk. Never stay in a morph for two full hours, otherwise you won’t be able to change back you’ll, be stuck in that morph forever. Other than that, it’s perfectly safe. Just wait a moment for me to morph back, in case you get out of hand./ He added as an afterthought, the sounds of his body snapping apart and reforming. Within a few minutes, a very embarrassed Goldstein was stumbling from behind the desk and moving for his clothes. Showing him a little sympathy, I turned away and started taking my own clothes off. Unlike Goldstein, I had no qualms with him see me naked, so I took off everything and placed it on the desk holding the cage before closing my eyes and concentrating on the tiny, blue, winged humanoid form of the pixie.

I was appreciative that I had watched and heard Goldstein go through this already. It made me more prepared to watch and listen to my body change. Which was good, for being unprepared for the feeling of it for the first time was disconcerting enough on its own.

I felt it as my bones grinded together, shrinking and reshaping. I could feel my organs liquidating and solidifying into new, small shapes again when they were done. My whole body tingled as it thinned out and my skin seemed to grow stretched and rubbery.

I actually gasped as I shrank. Not because I was rushing closer to the ground like Goldstein did, but because my feet left the ground. My transition slowed a little as I tried to figure that out, my mind only returning to the task at hand when I remembered what I deemed the most interesting fact about them. Though they have wings, they could still float and fly small distances without them, a definite benefit if they were injured. The pixie’s magic must have already surfaced and be in subconscious use.

When my concentration was properly focused once more, I felt my skull start to pinch in two places on my head and up sprouted a pair of antennas. My field of vision widened as my eyes stopped shrinking with the rest of my head and expanded a little again, taking up a lot more of my face. My ears felt like something was tugging on them as they stretched out, each one reaching a length comparable to the width of my head, while my skin turned blue from head to toe.

Then, while my fingers and toes were fusing together into threes and twos respectively, I felt two pairs of wings erupt from my back.

What little remained to changed altered itself into completion quite quickly after my wings started fluttering. Looking myself over, I had just enough time to take everything in before it was like a bomb went off in my head.

Why do I always hold back? Being calm and serious is no fun, why not go wild? Let’s do it right now! Spinning around in the air, I found a cage with a fellow pixie in it, but immediately waved it off. The pixie was sleeping, it wasn’t going to be interested in fun for a while. Now, that human however...oh, this would be good.

“Blaise? Are you ok” The human sounded cautious, was holding his breath. What a fun victim. My lips spreading into the most mischievous smile I’d ever made in my life, I cackled down at him, only making him tense more. “Blaise, focus! You need to take control of those instincts.” Screw control. Time for some nice mayhem.

The human let out a scream as I dived at him. I just laughed in response, loving his screams as I grabbed his hood and dragged him back until he fell on his butt. I only laughed harder as he looked up at me, well and truly dumbstruck. A look that turned horrified as he realised that I’d snatched his wand as I flew away. Hehehe, this was turning into riot.

....

It had taken me an hour. A whole, bloody hour to wrangle control back from the mischievous pixie mind. It wasn’t until Goldstein was screaming in pure, mortal terror that I finally snapped out of it to find myself holding him upside down by his big toe close to the ceiling. The pixie was an overly lively, energetic mischief maker so determined to cause what it deemed hilarious chaos that I’d ended up completely lost in it. The chaos I created was only matched by that of the pixie’s mind!

Goldstein didn’t seem any happier about it than I was, though while I was frustrated, he was sad and humiliated. Throughout my tornado of terror, I’d turned his hair a bright shade of pink, tied his wrists together with his own belt, tied up his legs with his outer robes and written a number of degrading words, including loser, wimp and few other equally childish names, on every visible bit of skin from his head to his toes with old ink that had been left in a cupboard. Among other things, some of which neither he, nor I would want to ever mention again. A pixie wielding your own wand against you is simply horrifying.

Having more than enough of this anti me mindset, I started morphing back as soon as I got Goldstein safely back to the ground. Kneeling down next to him as soon as I was fully human again, I undid the belt, setting his hands free, and gave him back his wand which he immediately used to cast vanishing charms on the ink while I freed his legs before going back over to my clothes.

Looking up as I finished snapping my belt back into place, I looked back over at Goldstein and grunted exasperatedly as he sadly tried and failed once again to change his hair back to normal. Pixie magic was different than wizardry, even if it was focused through the same medium, it was probably going to take quite a few hours at least for the colouration to fade back to his usual blonde.

Sighing, I took my own wand and vanished the ‘Loser’ still written across his forehead and pulled his hood up, a clear indication to leave it for now. Goldstein just nodded in response, staring defeatedly at the floor.

“I should have known the pixie mind would be tricky for you. It’s far too different from yours.” He muttered quietly, his red face never looking away from the ground. “Far too wild, too excitable. Should have known. Sorry.”

“I let my guard down.” I snapped, frustrated with myself. “Wild and excitable or not, I should have been able to subdue it quicker. You...you owe me no apology.” I added, forcing myself to calm down again. It was frustrating just how much effort I had to put into that tonight. “I hope you accept my apology. I have done a lot of things to you tonight that are most disgraceful. I will do better by you in the future.”

“It’s fine. You couldn’t help it.” I barely heard the words, he mumbled so low. The damn Ravenclaw, I couldn’t remember ever feeling this guilty about anything. I’d humiliated him good. Malfoy himself would have bragged about my work for weeks. Goldstein didn’t deserve that, he was a kind, respectable wizard.

‘At least it all happened in private.’ The small voice in the back of my head known as my conscience offered. ‘Just make him feel better and never bring it up again. It’ll pass over.’

Yeah. The only problem with that was that I wasn’t any good at comforting people.

We sat there for about another half hour, not a word being said about anything said or done previously. Not knowing how to comfort or reassure anyone, I simply sat close to him and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder, squeezing it now and then while coaxing him to talk about the rune circle he’d put up. It didn’t take much to get him into the details, he always liked when people were keen to listen to what he could teach them. He knew I was looking for a distraction, but that didn’t change the fact that I was interested in the subject and he slowly grew more comfortable again as he got into intricacies that I could guarantee were beyond anything taught at Hogwarts. I was happy to note by the end of it, the blush on his face was a more happy kind, coming from me complimenting his mastery of the subject rather than the particularly embarrassing things the pixie mind thought were funny from before.

“It’s getting late.” I commented, sparing my watch a glance after I successfully got a shy grin to cross his face again. It was almost time for the Slytherin curfew and the other Houses... “You have trapped yourself outside of your tower.” I frowned. Admittedly, I was concerned. I didn’t want him to get into any trouble. If the Carrows or any other Death Eater found him, he’d be punished horribly. If another Slytherin found him, especially with his hair still pink, well I don’t wish that humiliation on anyone.

“I have a safe place to sleep.” He stated, climbing to his feet. “But yeah, I really should get there soon. Thank you for coming tonight Blaise. And...just be cautious.”

“You too.” I nodded, following him to the door. I spared him a look that anyone would claim was incredibly soft for me before heading back the way I came, Goldstein going the opposite way. I’d have to look out for him in the Great Hall in the morning, just to ensure that nothing else happens to him throughout the night. I was growing soft, I know, but he was always kind and respectful to me and often reminded me of Theodore’s real personality. Those two would get along great if Theodore could reveal himself.

‘Speaking of which, I’m going to have to watch out for him too.’ I frowned as everything Goldstein had told me came back to the forefront of my mind. Even if the alien involvement was a load of crap, there had to be enough evidence of some type of mind control going on to support it if Goldstein believed it. And the cube did come and go with Muggles, so that did suggest some kind of outside involvement. So, combining that with the information he’s overheard from these controlled people and what he saw at the Chamber of Secrets, it was safe to say that he was right in assuming I’d be a good target. That meant that Theodore was too. ‘Whatever is going on, I’ll have to get to the bottom of it.’ And, more importantly, figure out how to stop it.


	5. Neville

My name is Neville Longbottom.

Of all the animals I’ve morphed so far, as few as there are, rat is definitely my least favourite. They are attracted to rotting food sources, their size and lack of wings means it takes a long time to get anywhere in places as big as a castle and are often targeted for death, either by a grossed out student or by a hungry predator. You know, like owls and cats, the current favourite pets of the Wizarding world?

I have never been happier with the fact that I stuck with Trevor.

Still, the rat morph definitely had their advantages. Getting out of the dungeons unnoticed is a piece of cake as a rodent. And with all the pipes, cracks in the walls and a few secret passages, along with the facts that they are low to the ground, great climbers and blend into the dark, a careful rat could sneak around anywhere.

All five of us acquired it the first night of our stay in the dungeons. Naturally, it was Luna who noticed their comings and goings, which included a small hole they probably made themselves in the door out of the prison. At first we were disgusted when we saw one slip through the bars of our cell, but now we saw it as a blessing in disguise. Though we always made sure one of us was present and awake to stop them from coming near us while we slept.

And the best thing about being low to the ground, hiding in shadows? No one suspects a thing when you listen in on them and they could go where even an owl or a cat couldn’t. We’d already managed to find ten Controllers in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Houses, most of them while running around in a small, black furred coat.

I had to demorph along the way, but even the Headmaster’s office was accessible to me. Those dimwit Carrows never even noticed the rodent jumping up the revealed, spiral staircase behind them. And with so many trinkets within, most of them left from Dumbledore’s time as Headmaster, there were plenty of places to hide in.

“How long are you going to let this act of defiance continue, Severus?” Alecto snarled, her already ugly face crinkling into the image of a particularly ugly hag. “It is not only an insult and question to our powers of authority, but a punishable act against the Dark Lord and his glorious regime!”

“A serious accusation. If they were actually people and you had actual proof.” Snape drawled, staring back blankly.

“Don’t act incompetent Severus, we all know you aren’t foolish enough to miss it.” Amycus snapped, looking none too pleased. “The portraits are all over the school. You can’t do a thing without them noticing and yet they tell us nothing or claim that they see no one.”

“Not true on multiple accounts.” Snape retorted, neither his face, nor his tone changing in the slightest. “There are locations, such as small rooms, the lavatories and the like, that have no portraits. Places students have plenty of access to and can use the privacy of to cast stealth charms. And though they are grudging about it, every time I request information, those that do notice something worthy of suspicion do give it to me. However, students running down the corridors is hardly something any of them would deem suspicious.”

“They see the acts of rebellion!”

“And then the delinquents leave the area and the portraits that see them next are unaware of what happened. In case you have forgotten Amycus, the portraits are not obligated to follow students, no matter what the student has done, and even if they did, it is easy for the trouble maker to blend into the crowds.”

“Any of the portraits around my office could have informed me that it was being attacked!” Alecto shouted.

“If they had been in the area and not visiting other portraits, yes, they could have. However, you cannot prove that they were in your office’s corridor, nor have you made that request of them.”

“Don’t go law abiding on us now Severus!” Alecto snarled. “Since when do we ever wait for proof of disobedience to punish?”

“Since we started talking about the welfare of items that belong to Hogwarts.” Snape answered, his face suddenly growing darker and his tone gaining some bite. “The Dark Lord has a fondness for this school, as you are both aware. Within these walls are artefacts and magic gathered throughout a millennium, recordings of the triumphs and power our kind has obtained. The portraits will remain untouched, as they too are a part of our glorious history, recorded images of some of our great and esteemed ancestors, and hold much of the knowledge of how our greatness was obtained.”

“That may be, but even Slughorn has made note of the portraits’ acts of defiance!” Amycus exclaimed. I would have laughed in his face if I was human. He looked like he’d swallowed a lemon and his hands were itching to pull his hair out. His foot was twitching so much that I swore he was going to jump up and down at any moment. “We heard him say it himself! The portraits warn the delinquents to our arrival, pass messages amongst their ranks and inform them of what we do! We simply can’t let this go on!”

“Are you telling me that your methods of controlling the student population is being outclassed by animated, moving ink?” Snape asked, raising an eyebrow. I couldn’t help but snicker a little at that, though I made sure no noise escaped my mouth. As much as I hate that man, that was just too good.

“Of course not!” Alecto cried, outraged as her brother spluttered. “Do not insult our ability Severus. Don’t forget, we were chosen by the Dark Lord himself!”

“Then I fail to see how the portraits are such a concerning issue.” Snape said as he turned back to the papers on his desk, bored with the conversation. “But if you feel that they are such a hassle to work with, you will have to converse with Dark Lord about it. And as he succeeded in feats as big as not only opening the Chamber of Secrets, but unleashing a Basilisk upon the school again and again without a single portrait ever being the wiser, even as a mere teenager, I’m sure he would find your complaints...amusing.”

The Carrows didn’t say a word to that, their whole bodies bristling. Snape didn’t even seem to notice they were still there, signalling that this meeting was over. Huffing at the dismissal, the Carrows stomped their way out of the room.

That left me with a bit of a dilemma. I wanted to stick around a bit longer, try to gleam more information. I wanted a proper chance to explore the area too, try to find a way to sneak in and out undetected. You know, with the necessary body to steal something. Ginny had mentioned more than once that the sword of Gryffindor was meant to go to Harry. If Dumbledore wanted to give it to him then it must have been important. I could see it right now, its rubies glinting in the candle light.

But if I stayed, I may not be able to find a way out before my time was up and I had absolutely no desire to stay as a rat for the rest of my life. Letting out as long a breath as a rat could, I scampered back across the floor, hugging the shadows.

Getting right back to the door was a little tricky though. It had a candle floating on either side of it, lighting up the area just fine. On the way in, Snape hadn’t even bothered to look up and the Carrows had stalked right to his desk. This time however, right as his hand touched the door handle, Amycus halted and turned back around. My heart almost stopped as I dived behind the closest cupboard. Of course he wouldn’t raise his head back up until he was facing Snape again.

“Just so you know, Headmaster.” He started, the scowl evident in his voice. The Carrows were inner circle Death Eaters, they didn’t like the fact that anyone other than Voldemort had power over them. “We have decided that some of our more outstanding students have earned some rewards.”

“Oh?” Peaking out, I found Snape lifting his head again, an irritated ‘go on’ look being directed at the twisted siblings.

“Yes, we have some students, who have been very receptive to our ways. Not that it is at all surprising of course, given their noble ancestry. We have decided that those with both the correct attitude, blood and talent should be trained as the Dark Lord has all new Death Eaters. In addition, they will be given full approval to punish delinquents as we would.”

“You wish to make Death Eaters of the older Slytherins?” Snape didn’t even seem to care, simply waving his hand in careless consent. “I’m sure that the Dark Lord will be thrilled to have the next wave of followers ready sooner.”

“Good to know that you agree.” Alecto grunted moodily, turning back to the door. Tensing, I waited until her hand reached the handle before slinking back out into the open and ran for it the second the door swung open. With their moody, hasty exit, I barely got my tail out of the way before the door slammed shut.

‘This could have been more productive.’ I sighed mentally, following the Carrows down slowly. The two of them weren’t talking about anything worth listening to anymore, just griping about Snape. There is nothing new that they could say on that, my House had been doing that since first yeah, especially me and the Golden Trio. Besides, I had my own things to grumble about.

Nothing Seamus had found out from Anthony last night had been good. I was hoping that Snape and his dogs would give me some information on the DA side of things, like how they were going to retaliate next. I’d hoped that they’d mention what type of wards were confining us to our Common Rooms. I’d hoped to find out a way that we could mess around with Death Eater plans or something that we could exploit later. Instead, all I got on that front was that the next generation of Death Eaters was going through initiation a little early.

I wasn’t sure what to make with that piece of information. Death Eater children. Well, Parkinson and a number of the other older Slytherin students were already basically playing Death Eater and it wasn’t uncommon for them to get into disputes with DA members. Verbal assaults were far more common than spells, but that didn’t mean that that night in the forest was our first brawl by any means. As they were right now, a lot of them, the children of active Death Eaters mostly, knew some dangerous dark spells, but they were only dangerous to the DA if we were dumb enough to turn our backs on them. Arrogance was ridiculously inflated in all of them due to the control the Death Eaters had over the school. They thought that they were tough and untouchable, a fact that the DA was only too happy to disprove. We were far more prepared for combat and actually knew how to work together, unlike them. Add that to the fact that no DA member went anywhere without at least one other member anymore and it resulted in a very good, undefeated track record for us. The Carrows might change things though. It wasn’t the most likely result, but it was definitely a possibility. We’d have to keep track of their progress.

‘Not that that’s a problem when we can literally play fly on the wall.’

Storing all the information on the Death Eaters away as I reached the bottom of the spiral staircase, I turned my attention to the Yeerk side of things. Zabini instantly came to mind with that. Anthony had told Seamus that he would meet with Zabini that day and I really wanted to know how that had gone. However, just like the situation with the DA, that was going to have to wait until I could actually talk to Anthony again, so I grudgingly pushed that aside.

Using the Death Eaters to get the portraits though, that was an interesting trick. How cunning, disguising one of their ploys as the actions of Death Eaters. Voldemort’s flunkies would love it if they were moved now that the oh, so brainless ones had been informed of our little network. To top it off, no one on our side would doubt that it was the Death Eaters’ plan for a second. If Snape had said yes to the Carrows’ wish to remove them then there’d never be any suspicion to their disappearance to lead back to the slimy slugs.

‘Too bad Snape didn’t go along with it.’ Not once in my life did I ever think I would actually be happy with any of that man’s decisions, but I have to say that I actually felt the slightest bit of thankfulness for him. His desire to kiss an old, megalomaniac’s butt actually gave us a hand tonight. ‘If I hadn’t seen it, I would never believe it.’

Not that it gave me any delusions though. The Yeerks wanted the portraits gone. They were going to use other methods or try to find reasons for Snape to change his mind. The grease head had only delayed their plans and removed the cleanest route. Still, it gave us more time to prepare and it had to slow down the Yeerks’ other plans too, right? I mean, they couldn’t start progressing until they got this roadblock out of their way, could they? I didn’t think so, they’d complained about the eyes on the walls way too much.

‘The longer the portraits are in the way, the longer we have the advantage.’ I thought firmly, locking it into my mind. There was no point doubting it, it was the truth. I just hoped that we could hold the advantage.

Not sure how long I’d been morphed and confident that no one was going to be around for a good while so late after curfew, I separated from the Carrows and scampered into the dark corner of the first, lesser used corridor I could find and started to demorph. Now that we’d done it a good few times, all of us down the cells had noticed that our speed had increased. It still was nothing on a Animagus transformation of course, but we did seem to have caught up to the original Animorphs’ time. Maybe even closer to Cassie’s in Ernie and my cases. Though it still looked no less disgusting. My body quickly grew back to my normal size as the fur shrank back into my skin, my torso reshaping to my human state. Crouched down on all fours, I looked like Ratman. Scowling at the thought, I pressed my way through, trying to ignore the uncomfortable and disturbing sensation of my tail sinking back into my rear end. Ok, that was a bad choice of words. Thank God Seamus didn’t hear that, I’d never hear the end of it!

Moving on, my legs twisted back to human shape along with my hands and feet, making me flinch at the loud crackling of bones breaking, reshaping and reforming. Not only did it sound like it would be particularly painful, but for a moment, I was scared that the it was loud enough to send an echo through to everyone awake. Considering that I was far from my dungeon sentence and my state of dress, or lack thereof, well...that would be the worst thing to ever happen to me. Fortunately, no one came my way and with my organs finishing their sloshing and twisting, only my face needed to change back. Poking my head around the corners just be sure as my nose finally sank back into my face and reshaped itself to mine, I leaned against the wall and took a few deep, slow breaths. Our morphing had sped up quite quickly, but the amount of energy used to shapeshift was still the same. It was taxing to do once, succession was exhausting.

I stayed that way for a few minutes, only putting effort into listening for anyone approaching and becoming very aware that I was actually surrounded by the portraits that I wanted to protect. Thank Merlin that they were asleep, I could hear their snoring. I don’t know what would make me feel worse, the crying out they’d do and the Death Eaters or teachers they’d draw to me, or the possibility that many of the portraits were of women. Portraits or not, that was still mortifying. I had to find some morph capable clothes to practice with soon. I still found it a bit awkward and uncomfortable being starkers in front of my own gender.

All that was blown out of mind a moment later, though. Just as I closed my eyes and focused on the owl, the quickest and easiest way to get back to the dungeon’s entrance, a scream punctured the air.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

“WHAT DO YOU THI-AAARRRGGGHHHH! NOOOO!”

“DEAR LORD! SOMEONE HELP! GET THE HEADMASTER, THEY’RE BURNING!”

“HELP! HELP! EVERYONE, GET HELP BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!”

I didn’t even realise I was running. The screams were coming from everywhere. The few portraits I could see in the moonlit hallways were all either empty or filled with fleeing, screaming people, some of them charred, others having melted limbs and all of them screaming for help.

“YOU BOY! HELP, THEY’RE BURNING US! BURNING!”

“NO, DON’T GO THAT WAY! THEY’RE DOWN THERE, GET HELP!” One woman wailed as I passed by, only screaming louder as I kept going. “WHAT GOOD CAN YOU DO WITHOUT YOUR WAND!”

I knew it was true. I didn’t even have pants, much less a wand. I couldn’t morph in the time span needed, not that I thought that anything in my arsenal could take on a group fire throwing wizards. I couldn’t use it anyway, my only two battle morphs were both present at Azkaban, it was too much of a coincidence. In short, unless they got scared and ran at the sight of a naked loon charging in with a battle cry, there was nothing I could do except expose myself, in every sense of the word. But still, I couldn’t stop myself from going in anyway. I couldn’t just stand by while this happened. They may only be animated ink, but the portraits still thought and felt. They were like real people as far as I was concerned and they were being burned alive! How could I sit back and do nothing?

It turned out that it didn’t matter anyway. Swinging around the last corner, I found the first of the burning portraits. More than half all the way down a particularly big corridor, they were now nothing more than ash marks on the walls and a quarter of the remaining ones were alight and halfway to destruction, impossible to save. The vandals were nowhere in sight and the remaining portraits’ occupants had long fled the scene. There was no possible way to determine who had done this.

“Outside the Yeerks and Carrows that is.” I mumbled under my breath between smoke caused coughs, frowning in anger and sadness as I looked around. I almost fell to tears when I noticed one burnt portrait in particular, its edges still burning. It had been my favourite, depicting a garden with the most beautiful flowers up the front and most interesting and exotic plants scattered throughout the back. A woman, Lidia, was always there, tending to the plants lovingly. Having spent years with the real Lidia, a former Herbology teacher, she was very knowledgeable with all kinds of plants and how to care for them and was a wonderful lady. I often talked about plants with her. It hurt deeply knowing that they’d destroyed her portrait. She was probably gone now too.

“Hurry, they’re that way! Get those scoundrels!” I never thought I’d say this either, but thank Merlin for Sir Cadogan and his huge, loud mouth! As lost as I was, I never noticed the thumps of running teachers heading my way. Now that I was paying attention however, they were clearly audible. The teachers were coming and getting close dangerously fast. From more than one direction too.

‘Of course they’re coming here, you idiot!’ Kicking myself as panic started settling in, I ran as fast as I could down the hallway and practically ran up the wall as I got to the first joining corridor, praying that no one was coming up that way. I counted my blessings as most of the clapping and thumping of boots and heels on the stone stopped increasing, but it didn’t take a genius to know that I was far from safe. One was still nearby and that was all it would take to be screwed.

I was suddenly a little thankful for the drawbacks to morphing. My bare feet gave me a bit of an advantage here, making my steps almost silent on the flat stone. I could shy away from the teachers’ steps without them ever hearing mine. All I had to do was keep that up until I could find an empty room, morph rat or owl and either go back to the dungeons or wait until the heat died down, figuratively speaking.

But of course, I had to get the one teacher, besides Snape, that you couldn’t get anything around close behind me.

“You there! Come here at once!”

‘Oh crap!’ Sucking in a deep breath as wand light hit my arm just as I turned into the next corridor towards the stairs, I ran as fast as I could, looking around desperately for a free room to hide in as Professor McGonagall’s echoing steps picked up their pace, her light quickly growing brighter around the corner.

‘What do I do now?’ Almost no one had ever got anything over McGonagall, I certainly wasn’t one of them, and never when she was in pursuit of you. She’d find me no matter what I do, only morphing could stop it from happening and she was way too close by for that. Besides, even if it was possible to outrun her unseen, either the portraits would see me and call for teachers, assuming I was the vandal, or I’d run right into someone else. ‘Well then, I have no choice.’ There was only one thing I could do. I could only hope McGonagall decided to help me quick enough.

“Get back here this instant or I will start casting spells!” Whoa, McGonagall was pissed off! She was adamant about never using magic on the students. For her to even threaten such a thing, things were even worse than I thought. Still, I wasn’t going to just stop and let her see me like this. No, I kept running, my fingers running against a wall, until they hit a groove of a door. Sighing in relief, I found fumbled around for the handle, threw it open and dived in.

A single candle lit up as I closed the door behind me to reveal a small, old broom closet. Judging from all the dust, cobwebs and broken equipment, I doubted Filch had used it for a while, if he ever had at all. A quick glance revealed mops, brooms, old squirt bottles, cracked buckets, a pile of chipped pegs and clumps of rags and tea towels. It took everything I had not to whimper. I didn’t think any rooms in this part of the castle were currently in use, so I was hoping there’d be sheets covering furniture or something. You know, something to cover myself up properly and hide under when McGonagall left in case someone else came this way. Of course I wouldn’t be that lucky, when was I ever?

“Pity yourself later, focus now!” I snapped softly, slapping my face. I didn’t have time for that, I had to make do with what I was given. McGonagall’s footsteps were loud and dangerously close now. Biting my lip hard at what was about to become the new winner in my most embarrassing and awkward moments list, I grabbed a pair of tea towels, shook the bugs and dust out of them as best I could and wrapped them around my waist, using two pegs to hold them up and together, just as the door flew open.

“Don’t even try to get awa...Longbottom?” If it wasn’t for the rather high tension and mortification of this situation, the look on my Head of House’ face would have been funny. In an instant, she had gone from looking like the deadliest of enemies to looking like a dumbstruck, gaping fish. I’d never seen her openly gape like that, her eyes bugging out. I don’t think anyone had seen her even slightly surprised or startled, no one was ever going to believe I reduced McGonagall to this. She only seemed to grow even more flustered as the state of my appearance properly registered in her head, moving her head up and down like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “Longbottom...I...what in the name of Godric himself...”

“Please close the door!” I gasped quickly and desperately, self-consciously covering my groin again with my hands as not only my face, but my ears and neck radiated with heat. “I didn’t burn the portraits, I swear!” I added quickly. Anything to get that door closed and this conversation over and done with. This was even more mortifying than I imagined. And the feeling only got worse when my pinky found a small hole in the tea towel, just over my thigh. What if there were other holes I didn’t know about? There was no way I was risking moving my hands, no they had to stay put.

“Well, I have no doubts about that.” McGonagall choked, looking almost as uncomfortable and embarrassed about this situation than I was. She however, managed to regain her composure after about another twenty seconds and complied with my wish, stepping in and closing the door behind her. Not that it really made me feel any better, even after she quickly set up a silencing charm. It was significantly safer for me and twenty times more awkward. I was in a broom closet, naked, with a middle-aged woman, the door was locked and it was made sound proof. How had I not died of embarrassment yet? I was NEVER going to speak of this again. No, not a single soul could ever know.

“Now, what in the name of Godric are you doing?” McGonagall demanded, returning to her usual, strict and professional self. “You are supposed to be locked up in the dungeons! Do you have any idea what those despicable Death Eaters will do to you if they find out that you broke out? You are in far too much trouble as it is, you should be doing everything you can to lie low, even after your time down there is up! And why are you strutting around the castle without your clothes?”

“I am not strutting around, I’ve been sneaking around.” I mumbled embarrassedly, turning my head away. I couldn’t even look at her right now, this was far too much for me. “My clothes are...a long story. I snuck out to keep an eye on things and I lost them along the way.” Technically, that was the truth. It’s just that it happens right at the beginning. “We found a way to sneak out on our first day locked up and take turns moving around the castle, spying as best we can.”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is to you? Or those associated with you?” McGonagall scolded. I didn’t need to look to know she was giving me a very severe look. “Look at me Longbottom! If you can’t even handle me seeing you in this state of dress, how would you deal with what the Carrows would put you through if they caught you like this? You are not the intellectually lacking child that started here six years ago, Mr Longbottom, why are you pulling stunts so...”

“Worthy of Harry, Ron and Hermione?” I offered quietly, forcing myself to look back at her.

“I see they have taught you their ways of recklessness well. Though even they were never daring enough to run around a castle without the slightest piece of clothing.”

“I’m not exactly happy about it myself, you know.”

“Oh, I can tell.” McGonagall retorted huffily before letting out a deep breath. “I hope for your sake whatever you’ve been doing is worth the risk. And the current awkward situation you’ve landed yourself in. I assure you that I will have this uncomfortable moment burned into my mind for a very long time.” She added with a shiver, averting her eyes to stare forlornly around the room. Well, if there was any way to make this whole situation even more mortifying, that was it.

Still, that gave me an opening to try and divert the conversation to less uncomfortable topics. Not that it was possible to distract me from the humiliation, but something else to focus on would make it a bit more bearable. Maybe. “Tonight, I eavesdropped on Snape and the Carrows. They were trying to convince Snape to remove the portraits because they’ve been helping our side get away with, well everything.”

“You snuck all the way into the Headmaster’s office?” McGonagall exclaimed sharply, making me squirm self-consciously as she returned her full attention to me. “Just how big of a death wish do you have? Of all the stupid things to do, it’s amazing you haven’t been caught and hung by your feet yet...wait, the Carrows were trying to remove the portraits and were denied?”

“Yes. They were heading towards the corridor attacked when I lost them too, and they weren’t happy. They could be the ones that burned them.” I nodded enthusiastically, desperate to keep her on topic, scared she’d get back to reprimanding me. Don’t judge me, she was scary when she was angry or even just frustrated. “Slughorn was the one that mentioned it to them.” I added quickly, partly to keep her on topic, but also to make her suspicious of him. I’d been thinking about hinting his capture to the teachers ever since I was locked up with the others. If the teachers were suspicious of him, not only would it make it harder for him to have them infested, but they would also put more pressure on him and slow down some of his plans. And of all of them, the last Professor I wanted to see infested was Professor McGonagall. Not even Snape or the duelling champion, Flitwick, were as dangerous as she could be.

“Well now, that is interesting news.” McGonagall commented lowly, her face sharpening once more. “That is something worth looking into.”

“Ginny and Ernie mentioned that they’d caught Slughorn acting kind of strangely lately too.” I pressed on. I couldn’t leave the risk that she’d just think that Slughorn had a big mouth. No, I had to drill it in to be wary of him. “They never got much, but they did say that he acted unusually harshly and muttered about plans and capture. He apparently seemed extremely out of character. According to them of course, I don’t know much of anything about him.”

“Yes, rest assured that I will look into it.” McGonagall nodded. “Now, I believe it is time that I rejoined the hunt for the vandals. Return to the dungeon Longbottom. Don’t let me catch you again until you have been released and never let me find you streaking through the halls again.” I just nodded at the floor at that, my cheeks burning hotter than ever, as she turned around and removed her silencing charm. “Oh, and Longbottom.” She added as her hand rested on the door handle. Turning to look back over her shoulder at me, her lips slowly grew into a small smile. “Professor Flitwick intends to teach one of his fifth year classes the undetectable expansion charm tomorrow. He intends to use a flask for the demonstration and fill it with a ridiculous amount of water. It’ll be left on his classroom desk during the lunch break. I daresay it would be a waste to let so much clean water go to waste, wouldn’t you?” Saying no more, she opened the door and walked briskly back out, closing it silently behind her.

“Well, that was unexpected.” I muttered, a small, surprised grin on my face. Despite...the awkwardness, everything worked out fine. And on top of that, instead of telling me to stay in the dungeons like a good boy and stay as safe as I could, she was offering a way to make the time we did spend behind bars a lot more bearable. We’d be slowly dying of thirst and starvation if we only consumed what the Carrows brought us, and with only one or two of us leaving the dungeons a day, we were still struggling. Sufficient drinking water and maybe even enough to wash ourselves sounded like heaven. We needed more to drink and we all stank.

Still, one of the others could worry about getting that later. Right now, I had to focus on getting back to the dungeons before anyone else caught me. McGonagall could only keep them all away from here for so long.

Slowly opening the door, I cautiously stuck my head out and looked around with baited breath. Sighing in relief at the sight of a dark, clear hallway, I pulled back, leaving the door ajar and focused on the barn owl I’d acquired. Within a few minutes, night was as bright as day and I was waddling out of the room. Opening my wings, I took to the air with a running start and flew down the halls in complete silence. Normally, I would have flown out the first open window I saw, it was a lot less risky, even with the need to find an open one on the ground floor, but tonight I decided to take the long way. My sight and hearing would warn me of people about long before they could ever notice me and I needed the extra time down to arrange how I was going to inform the others of everything that happened. It wasn’t easy coming up with a way to say I spoke to Professor McGonagall without revealing the mortifying facts, accidentally or otherwise.

There was no way I was letting anyone find out those details. Never. I was going to tell them everything important and ensure that they were never clued in on my ultimate embarrassment. Yep.

...I should really start thinking this story over.


	6. Anthony

It was rather strange sleeping in the Room of Requirement. Not bad, just strange.

The room was wonderfully furbished and the bed was just how I loved it, soft and warm, like the one in my dorm. But it was also quiet. I wasn’t used to that. In school, Stephan and Michael usually filled our dorm with their snoring. Neither of them were very loud, not much more so than the soothing breeze meeting our tower, but it was still there. Plus, Terry had a tendency to randomly spout words in his sleep. Kevin, Stephan and I had learned some particularly interesting facts about my best friend that way a little earlier than he’d been willing to share. He was loud when he did it, he’d woken me up plenty of times.

At home, my bed wasn’t nearly as soft and the house creaked a little in the wind. Admittedly, I come from an old family, at least as old as the McMillans, but we’d always been comfortably middle class, nothing extravagant. So, the quiet almost kept me awake. Still, once I got to sleep, nothing could wake me up.

There was one little downside to this, I didn’t have time to go back to Ravenclaw Tower and answer the riddle to get clean clothes, but it wasn’t a real concern. The Prefects’ bathroom wasn’t too far off, so I just washed up in there and cast a few simple spells to remove the smell and dirt from my robes. With the mixture of scented soaps I mixed into the pool sized bath, no one would notice anything.

Towelling my hair as I got out and dressed, I actually found myself humming. I felt pretty good. Last night had gone far better than I ever imagined. The DA actually listened to me and was settling down. Blaise showed up and listened. He actually MORPHED! I got him to do it. Even if he didn’t believe that it was without some kind of magic and definitely did not believe any of the alien affiliation with what’s going on, he still accepted the power, to keep our secret again and to keep an eye out for mind controlling situations. That was more than enough for now. If he chose to help us, he could come to terms with the extra-terrestrial parts later. And if that wasn’t good enough, I’d actually got the Blaise problem solved all on my own! Yeah, the moments post morph could have gone a lot better, but I could take a little humiliation for what I got in return. It’s not like he meant to degrade me and no one outside the two of us would ever know about it. My hair was already back to blonde.

My humming never stopped even as I left the bathroom and made my way to the stairway. People stared at me weirdly and a lot of them were frowning moodily and whispering to each other, but I didn’t pay it any mind. I was way too far gone in my own happy little world.

I got all the way to the second-floor corridor leading to a staircase to the ground floor and Great Hall before I was thrown violently back into reality. It was just a passing glance at the wall that did it. A flicker of a black stain caught my eye and drew in my curiosity. Frowning, I turned to check it out only to gape at the otherwise blank wall.

“What the?” I could believe what I was seeing. Taking a step back, I whipped around to find that there were no portraits on the other wall either. In fact, there was twenty meters of clear wall space in total, a few black specks all that remained over the smooth, blank stone.

“What have they done?” The words left my mouth so softly that even I barely heard them as all colour was drained from my face. Seamus had warned me about the Yeerks’ plans, but with their spectacularly slow pace around here, I’d thought that we’d have more time to deal with that. ‘Dammit! I wasn’t paying enough attention.’ If I’d at least dealt with Blaise sooner, I could have paid more attention to what the Yeerks were doing. But no, I had to be a snivelling coward and avoid a weird story and explanation with a guy I considered a friend. I spent so much time pitying myself with the DA failures and stressing over a conversation that I let the Yeerks run ramped throughout the castle!

“Not a pretty sight, is it?” Startled, my whole body jerked as I spun around to find Lisa beside me with Stephan not far behind.

“What happened? Do we know where the portraits went?” I asked shakily, calming myself down only for my heart to sink as their faces grew even more forlorn and, in Stephan’s case, angry.

“Most of them were dumped in the trash.” It practically left his lips as a growl. “They were burned to ashes. Some of the people portrayed in them managed to make it into other portraits and away, but a lot of them had their ink run and were disfigured. Most of them won’t last long without their portraits either. The oldest ones can live in other canvases, but those made in the last five hundred years were created after a lot of spells were lost, including artistic spells. They’ll be reduced to splotches by the end of the week. The nerve of those bloody D-”

“Easy there Stephan.” Lisa’s hand was at his mouth in an instant, held firmly in place as she stared at him sternly. He was getting far too loud and the Death Eaters could be anywhere. Any act of rebellion against them, even simply cursing them, could get you hit with a nasty hex, or even a curse.

He got the message and calmed down quickly, though his anger was far from abated. This was hitting Stephan at least as hard as it was me. Where Kevin loved written history, Stephan was absolutely fascinated with ancient artefacts and the magic used to shape and protect them. Such things being destroyed so ruthlessly was the ultimate atrocity to him.

“The rest of them were moved somewhere in case someone came back for them.” Lisa continued, removing her hand and encouraging us to continue on. “Along with the survivors of the other attacked corridor.”

“Two were attacked?” I cried, only feeling worse.

“Yep. One on the fourth floor got hit too. Professor Flitwick came to the tower and told us this morning. Rumours are flying all over the castle about it already.” Stephan grunted. “No one knows who did it and are pointing fingers. It was obviously Death Eaters, but apparently even Snape is furious about it. Just as mad as the Gryffindors.”

“At least they have something in common now?” Lisa tried as she and I cringed at the news. We’d only just successfully got the Gryffindor members of the DA back to seeing common sense. This could send them right back to that tornado of chaos before we even reached the lousy twenty four hour mark. Letting her eyes quickly dance around the area and finding it clear, Lisa leaned in close to me. “What are we going to do about this?”

“I-I..” Stuttering and twiddling my fingers once again, I didn’t know how to respond. My nervous jitters were back. The confidence I’d felt at my accomplishments before was gone again now, blown away by my stupidity. Seriously, why did I leave the Yeerks to their fun? I was actually in a position where I could have done something last night, if only I’d just spent a few lousy hours paying attention to the Controllers. I had plenty of time during the day! What if I made the wrong decision again? What if something slipped my notice while I focused on the new set of crisis’?

‘So what, you’ll do nothing and mope about a mistake instead? How’s that productive in any way?’ Well, at least I knew the side of me with attitude still existed. It was giving me a mouthful. ‘React now, secure your remaining allies and resources and then set yourself up for retaliation. That’s how a commander is supposed to act, moron!’

“You’re friends with Fay, right?” I asked nervously, sucking in a deep breath as she nodded. “Ok then, can you try keeping her level headed? If we can stop her from going nuts, we’ll have a better chance of the others staying under the radar. I’m sure Padma will tell her sister to help rein their House in if she hasn’t already."

“I can try.” Lisa nodded, biting her lip as we made our way to the bottom of the stairs. “I can’t make any promises though. She’s...passionate.”

“So’s Michael.” I sighed, conceding to her point. “And Vane. Hopefully the Hufflepuffs will all stick with us and help us out.”

“Not every Gryffindor is nuts, you know.” Stephan butted in. “Brash and reckless, yes, but not universally nuts. I’m sure their House will help contain your wildcard rebel members.”

I could only nod along to that, all three of us going silent as we entered the Great Hall. I didn’t know what else I could say, I was too overwhelmed with the general mood to think straight. One step into the Hall and I felt like I’d been slugged in the face, the tension was that thick in the air.

The others kept going, but I just stood there for a moment, taking everyone in. The teachers, for the most part, look as furious as the Gryffindors, though the House of lions was definitely being a lot more vocal about it. Most of it wasn’t talking though, it was growls and bangs against the table. Even Padma’s sister and Brown looked furious at this injustice.

The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Houses on the other hand, looked far more worried and sadder than angry. It made senses, the blue and yellow Houses had a lot more appreciation for artwork and what it represents. We’re a lot more appreciative of the knowledge and hard work held within each canvas than the other two Houses, in addition to the network and friendly faces the Gryffindors saw. More knowledge than the artists could ever have imagined they’d placed into their work was gone. And of course, so were the last remains of some wonderful people.

Naturally, the Slytherin table was completely unphased. They didn’t look delighted or anything, but they acted as they would any other day this year. High and mighty. Though, as my eyes glanced over their table, they locked right on to Blaise’s. The boy refused to blink as he looked right at me, demanding that I pay attention. Then, for just a split second, he let his blank mask slip to reveal a suspicious glare as he subtly jerked his head to a group of his Housemates about five seats down the table from him before turning away, his face turning completely blank once more. Huh, interesting. He was already noticing suspicious activity. At least something good had happened this morning.

I’d barely gotten to my House table and sat down next to a relieved, but annoyed Terry before Snape rose from his seat. The tension in the Hall, already as thick as stone, actually managed to double in intensity as everyone’s eyes followed his slow, fluid movement all the way to the podium and swept his cold, menacing gaze right over the hall, sending shivers down my spine. Snape was furious. And in all honesty, few things scared me more than a furious Snape.

“I hardly believe I need to inform you of the...unacceptable atrocity by now.” His voice, though low, was full of malice and fury and echoed loud and clear throughout the entire hall, even succeeding in wiping the smug looks off of the Slytherins’ faces. This wasn’t like before. This time, everyone was the target, even his own, favoured House. Any doubt of that was completely obliterated as he looked around again, giving every single face in the hall the same, cruel look, promising pain and misery. “I will have you all know right here and now that this will not stand. Some of the portraits burned last night predated the creation of Hogwarts itself and were placed here to ensure their eternal safety! Priceless, irreplaceable treasures, markers of our great world’s roots and progress, destroyed in an instant!” By now, his voice and fury seemed to be rising with every word. Pretty much every first, and most second year students were crying in fear and the rest of us weren’t much better off. My own breath was rattling like chains in a hurricane. I didn’t even notice I was shaking just as much until Terry pulled me close to his side protectively. “Rest assured, I will find the ones responsible for this vandalism and when I do...well, there are many both within and beyond our walls that demand action. Destroying such treasured pieces of our school and our culture is mutinous, to the point where many in the Ministry of Magic, including the...head of the Ministry himself...is pushing for a long sentence in Azkaban.” If it were any other teacher up there telling us this, any at all, gasps and whimpers would have broken out in a second. Everyone in the school was a suspect. Any of us could be made to take the fall for this. And when Snape spoke of the Head of the Ministry, it was clear to all that he was not talking about the Minister. He was talking about the Dark Lord. And that made being accused so much worse, for he wouldn’t simply send you to Azkaban, as horrible as it had become since the Death Eaters took over. He’d make sure that by the time you got there, you were already long broken. If you got there at all.

“Anyone with information as to who is responsible is to report to me.” Snape continued sharply. “If you are discovered to be holding back information, you will also be punished severely. Keep that in mind and report to me soon.” With that, he gave everyone one last terrifying glare and swooped his way back to his seat.

Even long after he had returned to his seat, the hall stayed deathly quiet. Even the Slytherin students looked far more unnerved than usual. In fact, they looked the most so. Unlike the rest of us, Snape had always favoured them. They’d never had his cruelty and malice thrown their way and had enjoyed watching him give it to others. Now however, they had just gotten their first dose and most of them were terrified, keeping their heads down low and making themselves as small as possible. Blaise and Nott were two of the very few who simply and calmly returned to their breakfast.

The other Houses on the other hand, though scarily quiet even for this year, had much more mixed reactions. Some were trying to make themselves invisible or trying to calm down, but others were scanning the crowd, scowling whenever they saw someone they deemed suspicious. Others looked furiously at their plates or stared in shock at the teachers’ table. They were no doubt astounded, previously so sure that the Death Eaters were the ones responsible. Though some were still looking dark and suspicious. A reasonable reaction when you looked up at the staff table. Unlike every other teacher, neither of the Carrows look anything but pleased and most of the Death Eaters patrolling the room seemed completely unphased. It provided a great cover for the Yeerks.

“There was nothing wrong when we left last night.” Terry muttered under his breath as everyone started calming down around us, returning to his porridge. “Did you see or hear anything after...”

“No, I didn’t notice a thing.” I answered, piling bacon and eggs onto my own plate, not that I was very hungry. I found myself playing with my food more than eating it. “Everywhere I went was on the wrong side of the castle. Though, I probably would have heard something...oh, no I wouldn’t, there were wards in place.” I shook my head sheepishly. I couldn’t believe that I’d forgotten about that. It could have easily happened while I was with Blaise. That was the risk of strong privacy runes. If not done right, they worked both ways and I was hasty last night.

Terry just shrugged and returned his full attention to his food. He still was upset with me. Sighing sadly, I forced some food into my mouth. Last night I got rid of two huge problems, hopefully the DA one would remain resolved, and only gained another one with my best friend. And as much as it made me feel like crawling in a hole and dying, I had to admit that Terry was the least of my problems. ‘He should be at the top of the list.'

It was hard to believe that not half an hour ago, I was chipper. This stupid world just can’t wait to knock you down again these days, can it?

....

Classes continued as always of course, and I couldn’t help but be grateful. My first class of the day was Transfiguration and that always kept my mind going. My marks have always only been second to Granger’s, and usually only two to four points behind, something I was actually really proud of, but that didn’t change the fact that I had to spend a lot of time going over the information regarding the nature and complex details of the spells. Every new spell has its own dynamic, the details of what you’re transfiguring and those of what you’re turning it into, the amount of power needed for such a change and, at the advanced level of human Transfiguration, the possible affects a wizard’s natural magic could have over the spell. That was very important now.

“Let us not forget the origin of the Quintaped.” Professor McGonagall said sternly, watching everyone’s wands with sharp eyes, silently demanding that they keep them down until she finished talking. “Unprepared, irresponsible Transfiguration on the McCliverts’ part resulted in the MacBoons becoming man eating, near unstoppable monsters, with no way of changing them back, that then wiped them all out. Such an enormous blunder has not been made since, and I would very much appreciate it staying that way. Much lesser disasters have happened since, but I do not want to see a single one occur in my classroom or caused by one of my students. Even the smallest of accidents, particularly in this branch of magic, can have the most catastrophic consequences, as I have told you since first year and will continue to drill into your heads.”

The class was particularly careful to pay attention to her speech this time. We were finally working on major self transfiguration. Up until now, we’d only done little things, most of it focusing on our hands, such as turning them into flippers. Small body parts that wouldn’t put us at severe risk immediately if something went wrong. Today however, we were working on turning our arms into the wings of a bat. If done correctly, they would allow us to glide in strong winds, though the rest of our bodies made proper flying very unlikely. In order to properly fly with

this shapeshift, your body needs to be very flexible and have great stamina, not attributes that the average wizard holds at high levels, due to our overreliance in magic.

The rest of the class was getting into the casting now, some of them already succeeding in turning their arms leathery, but I was having a little more trouble than usual. The spell required a lot of focus, naturally, and every time I concentrated, my knew aura eye trick awakened and if the colours in general didn’t distract me, the dramatic altering and flares of them did. I tried holding it off, but at the most, I only ever succeeded until the moment that the spell was about to leave my lips and then I was nearly blinded again, sometimes even by my own magic mixing with the wand’s.

Groaning, I just put my wand down and rubbed my head as a migraine quickly grew strong. There was no way that I could do this. Not here, not with so many people nearby and transfiguring too. It looked like I’d have to spend more time on this outside of class, at least until I could get my new form of vision under control.

‘At least it should only be a problem in this class.’ I thought, trying to relieve myself of some frustration. ‘Maybe Charms, but that’s it.’ Charms required less concentration and had much lower chances of backfiring as long as you know what you were doing. I’d probably get headaches, but I was confident that I could still do it. I’d stopped even actually trying in Defence for obvious reasons, most other classes didn’t require wand work much, if at all, and this wouldn’t affect my runes at all. In fact, it would probably benefit them, giving me a better understanding of the amount of power I was charging into the runes.

‘And I’m sure Professor McGonagall would be happy to help me outside classes.’ I added, relaxing a little bit. It was always good to look at the positives. Feeling reassured, I opted to pick my book up close to my face and look the chapter over again. With something solid and non-magical blocking everyone else from view, I could focus as hard as I wanted without a problem. Most of what little aura light that got through came from me and my magic was currently dormant, unchanging and resting low on my skin. Terry raised a curious eyebrow at me, but other than that, no one questioned my actions. They probably just assumed that I was nervous about the spell and wanted to be thorough with my reading.

It wasn’t until more than halfway through the lesson that anyone bothered me at all and it wasn’t anyone actually in the room who did it. No, it was a shadow descending over me, one that was fluttering erratically. Curious, I turned my head to the window to find a tawny owl fluttering about before taking a seat on the ledge just above the glass.

/Good, you’re not cast spells right now./ Ginny sighed, her voice heavy with relief as it filled my head. /Sorry, I’ve caught you at I bad time, I know, but I wasn’t sure that I could find you again. Listen, Neville listened in on the Carrows and Snape last night. It looks like Slughorn hoped that the Death Eaters would deal with the portraits for him and that may or may not still be the case, though they’d definitely be going against Snape and You Know Who’s wishes if they did. Neville also ended up in a conversation with McGonagall after the portraits were burned./ She stopped their for a moment as a giggling fit washed through my head. I just raised an eyebrow in confusion at that. That was serious, how could being caught by a teacher outside the dungeons he’d been sentenced to at the scene of a serious crime be funny? I was missing a page here. /Long story short, McGonagall was told about a rough version of what we’ve heard from Slughorn, so now we have a dangerous witch suspicious of him. Her breathing down his neck should help keep him in line. Oh yeah, and Professor Flitwick and Snape have begun placing protective spells on the portraits, but it’s far too big of a job to be done without at least a week’s worth of effort, so it might be an idea to get the DA to lend a hand and keep an eye out for the Controllers responsible until the task is done. That’s all I’ve got for now, I’ll see you later./

She flew off again, as soon as I nodded. There was hardly any point in staying when I couldn’t reply after all. I simply continued staring into the sky, taking it all in. I smiled a little as the details sunk into place. It was a brilliant play, making someone like Professor McGonagall suspicious without giving anything away. She could very well find out the truth on her own and no one would take her down easily. The Yeerks would have to watch their steps very carefully now, especially if she cleared other teachers of being controlled and had them assist her. Knowing her, Professor Flitwick would be her first choice of accomplices and as long as he wasn’t infested, that would leave the Yeerks backed into a corner they may not even know is there.

‘Well, what do you know, some good came out of all this.’ Grinning, I turned my attention back to the class just as Terry squawked. I couldn’t help snorting as I took him in. He was pouting. With a black nose, large bat ears and brown fur growing all over his skin. And of course, his arms were seemingly the only part of him not affected.

“How did you manage that?” I chuckled while most of the rest of the class laughed. I felt a little bad for it, Terry only pouted more as just about everyone whipped around to him and laughed before planting his face on his desk, but he did look pretty silly.

“I think I mispronounced a word.” Was his muffled response. Shaking my head, but unable to stop the chuckles, I placed a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it comfortingly, the way he does for me when I’m embarrassed, as Professor McGonagall made her way over. My laughter died completely as he hummed appreciatively and leaned into my hand a little, being replaced by a much warmer grin. That was good. After how I upset him last night, I‘d been a little afraid that he’d be less receptive to me. I guess it wasn’t as bad as I’d worried it would be.

....

Getting the DA to help guard the portraits was way too easy, considering the miles we’d had to go to get anything else done or decided on lately. I gave the suggestion to Padma and Terry on the way to our next classes and by lunch more than half of us had gone to Professor Flitwick offering assistance. Even Stephen was quick to join in, though that was of no surprise really. Not only was his love of art and artefacts considered, but there was the fact that this was a way that he could help resist the Death Eaters without looking like he was resisting at all. That was one arrangement that he was more than happy to be a part of. And of course, Professor Flitwick had been delighted to have help, having us getting to work on the corridors leading to our Houses and the hallways around the Great Hall. He just made sure that we were all capable of the spells being put into place and informed us of what spells to avoid if we wanted to be more creative with the list of wards we put in place. I myself chose to add a small rune circle that I hid behind the portraits themselves. It took more time than most of the others, but by the time I was done, the rune circles were able to draw power from the wards of Hogwarts whenever they were drained. It provided pretty good protection and wasn’t nearly as easily broken without finding the runes, well worth the extra effort.

Speaking of Runes, that’s the class I was in right now. Most of the class was currently struggling to make an effective runic hexagon. It was the first time most of us had tried to mix so many together and even five is a challenge for the average student. Runes were very specific and tricky, if the right runes weren’t connected in exactly the right order, they had a tendency to either cancel each other out or warp their effects together to create something completely different from what you intended, a reaction that could be very dangerous. It was why, even now, most students in the class only made simplistic runic pentagons, pentagrams and five rune circles. Or even simply went with a simple line, the easiest, least volatile method. The differences between the different shapes created alone was enough to leave the average student wary, there was no need to add the more complex runes into the mix as well. At this point, as long as we could add one advanced rune in five, four and three rune formations, it was enough to pass. After Christmas, we’ll need to be able to add at least two to all of them and learn how to add up to one in a hexagon, but for now, one was fine. Not that any of that bothered me anyway. My hexagon was already finished and had two advanced runes in place. If I charged the hexagon, it would create a mini storm, the size and intensity depending on how much power was supplied to the runes. My professor was very impressed. Normally, such a thing takes a fair few more runes.

Having already completed today’s task, I once again just sat at my desk and read a book Professor Babbling had given me, Advanced Runic Formations. The circles and structures in the text went well beyond what you learn at Hogwarts, to the point where Professor Babbling usually told all her students to not even attempt the simplest of circles within it. Normally, she didn’t want us to even touch it. Even Granger was advised not to tempt them yet. Even though I was told never to power such formations without having the Professor look over them intently, I was still incredibly proud that my skills warranted this much faith in me. Professor Babbling was determined to see me to becoming the youngest Runes Master in over a fifty years and not even I seemed to have the right to say otherwise. Not that I minded, I loved Ancient Runes and the magic they possessed.

I was staring in fascination at a diagram of a circle with lines connecting far off runes within its center when a ruffling told me that Blaise was asking for my opinion. He never says anything while there is a book in front of me, he patiently waits for me to pull myself away from it. It’s not like I ever keep him waiting long when he asks for help. I quickly finished the last few clip notes surrounding the diagram before setting it down and turning to the hexagon.

It was a rather simple mix of runes, but they were cleverly mixed and would work wonderfully in agricultural fields. The mix of runes would draw moister from the air and repel insects. It was really good, not that it was surprising. He took everything I said or changed in his runes to heart and was fairly good in his own rite. He was ranked third in our year, in close competition with Granger.

“It’s perfect if you’re aiming to use it in dryer climates.” I stated, grinning a little as he gave me a questioning look, the one he always gave me when he wanted me to elaborate. “It will work fine, it’s a sound hexagon. The only potential issue is that you haven’t put in a limitation rune. If it were to be used in a wetter climate, it would draw too much water, enough to wipe out the plants. In the average climate, I’d try to replace the encouragement rune with a limitation rune.”

Nodding, he took his parchment back and jotted down a clip note of everything I’d said and an arrow from it pointing to the top right corner rune. Normally, he’d say a quiet thank you and look through his book for the most compatible rune after that, but this time he frowned at his desk. That was curious, it was like he wanted more or to say more. But whenever he does, he just comes out and says it. My own studies forgotten, I tilted my head, silently offering my attention. His eyes darted over the room quickly a couple of times, double checking the state of the other students before deeming them busy and tilting his own head closer to mine, or more accurately, to my ear.

“Some Slytherins, were planning to hassle members of other Houses last night. Particularly Prefects.” He said softly. It was so quiet that I had to strain to hear him over the nearby students’ grunts and scratching quills. “They got back not long before me, very pleased with themselves. I noticed soot on a couple of their robes.”

Well, that settled it. The plan involving the Carrows was a failure, so they set off plan B the same night, giving them the cover of vengeful Death Eaters freshly angered.

“Did you know all the people in that group?” I whispered back, trying to keep my voice calm and free of my nervousness. Knowing this was only beneficial if it gave us more identified Controllers.

I shouldn’t have worried, Blaise was giving me his ‘well duh’ look before I’d even finished speaking. He knew them all alright. “They plan to ‘mess with the Muggle lovers’ again tonight. I thought I might try my new wings out.”

He said no more after that, but I was beaming for the rest of the lesson. He was going to help. He found people suspicious, associated them with whatever he deemed the second enemy we had to deal with was and was cautious and willing enough to find proof to do something about it.

Plus, now we had a good idea where the vandals were coming from and where they’d ultimately go, it would be a lot easier to catch them.

....

The rest of the day, thank Merlin, had gone almost completely without incident. Helping to guard and ward the portraits had kept most of more volatile members of the DA too busy to cause real trouble and the largest act of rebellion to occur was some instant darkness powder thrown to help some third years get away from a particularly nasty Death Eater. They were found taking a shortcut to class that unfortunately led them towards the Death Eaters’ guestrooms, out of bounds territory. Dinner had been a quiet affair, as it usually was these days under the eyes of most of the Death Eaters in the school, no threatening announcements of any kind. So, I spent it memorising the faces and auras of the Slytherin students Blaise was pointing out to me with his eyes and tilts of his head.

It made relaxing in the Ravenclaw common room with Terry a lot easier. I made a point of spending every minute before my Prefect rounds were due to start with him. Most of the other sixth and seventh year students were helping place protective charms on the upper towers’ portraits, so it was nice and quiet. I even made sure that Lisa and Michael went with Morag and Mandy to ensure that they didn’t tamper with anything. I had to let them know of my ‘belief that the girls were being controlled’, but they were happy to do it. Sitting on a couch near the window with a chest board in front of me and leaning against my best friend/opponent’s side, I was perfectly content.

Terry, thankfully, seemed to be putting our issue last night away for now, or at least only took it out on my chess pieces as he thrashed through my defences. Conversation had stayed light and friendly. We didn’t even talk about our school work. Mostly we joked about turning Death Eaters into rodents, laughed at the dropped jaw, gawking look on Michael’s face when Stephen unknowingly said something so sweet that Padma and Lisa both awed before kissing his cheeks at the same time before they all left, and Terry muttered shyly about developing a crush on someone. He wouldn’t tell me who, but I wasn’t going to push. He’d tell me when he was ready.

All and all, it was so good that I didn’t really want to leave. It had been a long time since things had felt this safe and normal. I didn’t want to burst that bubble. But of course, I didn’t really have a choice. I had rounds that were mandatory. I had to make it look like I was doing them before going off in search of the Controllers. We’d put in some good work throughout the day, but the school was simply far too big and housed thousands of portraits, some of them in the most random of places imaginable. There were simply too many for all of them to be protected for at least a week. That was part of why the areas wards were being set was random, outside those protecting the hallways to the four Houses. It would leave the vandals unsure of just where they could strike again.

Sighing as I put Terry into checkmate, I let myself grin at the victory for about five seconds before rising to my feet. “Time to go.”

“And not come back until morning, right?” I felt myself tense at that. All the happiness was once again missing from Terry’s lowered voice. “That’s why you spent so much time with me now, right? To try and patch things up? Because now you’re going out all night again and you’re not going to tell me why, are you?”

“Yes, I will.” I responded quickly, earning a surprised look as I dropped back down. “Don’t be so surprised Terry, I never keep things from you because I want to. Last night was a special case. I...I have an agreement with last night’s informant. It’s a Slytherin Terry, a true Slytherin. Cunning and cautious. To get their help, I had to swear to not tell anyone who they were. That’s the agreement, so I’m the only one that could ever give away their secret and since I’m never in the Death Eaters’ crosshairs, it’s not likely they’ll ever get it from me. What he had for me, if it got out too soon, it could have exposed him if it was acted on and someone would have acted on it. You would have.” I actually impressed myself with that. Normally, I could never pull a lie off, Terry would have caught it in a second. But it was a lot easier to lie if there was a lot of truth to it as well. Blaise would definitely want it this way for sure, but I didn’t promise it. Not to him anyway. And I could tell, every word of it, Terry accepted. He believed me. And then he grew a little sheepish.

“But you can tell me now?” He asked hesitantly, but hopefully, catching the hint.

“It’s kind of public knowledge now.” I admitted with a sigh, getting a raised eyebrow in return. “There were things being mentioned in the Slytherin common room. A group had been talking about roughing things up with us. They mentioned weird things sometimes too. They don’t sound like they’re working with the Death Eaters, but it doesn’t sound good. They also mentioned that the Carrows were going to try and remove the portraits, but Snape refused them. They’re probably the ones that did it.”

“I see.” Terry muttered, frowning hard, his fist clenching the couch. “If we’d had that information sooner, we could have saved those portraits.”

“The meeting was only set up yesterday and I only got the information last night.” I pointed out, shaking my head. “The group’s agenda was only discovered to be noteworthy yesterday and they could have attacked anywhere in the castle. All we could have done was take them on when we found them and they’d just turn the Death Eaters and teachers on us. See another reason why I had to keep it to myself until I knew more and could act without suggesting previous warning?”

“Yeah.” Terry sighed, looking at me apologetically. “You could have told me though, you know? I would have listened to you. I always do.”

“You also listen to what you know is right.” I pointed out with a small smile. “You have a little bit of Gryffindor flare in you. Either you’d argue your point and decide you had to do something or you’d sit here stew over it, growing more frustrated and angrier with yourself. I know you Terry, I didn’t want to put you through it.”

“I guess you have a point.” He conceded with a nod and a small smile before returning to business. “And tonight?"

“The Vandals are likely to make another move. I got a message today saying they’re keen to ‘mess with Prefects’ again. I’m going to stop them.”

“What?” Terry cried, looking like I’d grown an extra head. “You’re kidding right? Do you realise what they could do to you? And if you’re caught in the area by the Carrows-”

“Then I’m a Prefect, with a perfectly clean record, who noticed a disturbance and chose to act in the best interest of the school.” I interrupted firmly, getting an annoyed glare in return. “I know what I’m doing Terry. I know that the perpetrator could try to accuse me of wrongdoing. I know that I’m risking punishment for being out past curfew. But I’m the only one with the record, position and reputation that could do it and get out reasonably clear. Worst case scenario, I can run to Professor Flitwick and confess to breaking curfew in order to save the near living recordings of long and great history. He’ll stand by me, help me out of trouble most likely. Besides, as a Prefect, this is sort of my duty, to ensure that the school rules are being followed. I can base plenty of arguments to my advantage. Trust me, I’ll be fine.”

“Against a group of Slytherins? I don’t think so.” Terry shook his head stubbornly. “They’ll cream you and drag you to the Carrows. Even if you get away, they’ll report seeing you after curfew.”

“No, they won’t. My informant will be nearby. And they’ll never know that a Ravenclaw was anywhere near them if I have my way.” I retorted, actually as confident as I sounded. It was true, I had no intention of the Controllers ever seeing me. “I’ve got a plan.”

“You actually sound a little like a Slytherin right now.” Terry almost snorted, though he still didn’t look happy at all. However, I could see the hint of conceding growing steadily, right up until a sigh left his lips. “Don’t you dare get caught, Tony. I’ll be really pissed off if I have to save you from torture curses.”

“Promise.” I nodded before heading toward the door. Once I was out, I couldn’t help but sigh at all the energy keeping that up took. I was amazed at how well I kept it up. Technically, I hadn’t told any lies, which was why I was able to be convincing. It was all the truth, just arranged incorrectly. Still, it took a lot out of me to set it up to a believable, acceptable timeframe and I still felt bad for not telling the whole truth.

‘I’m doing it for the right reasons.’ I reminded myself, my steps echoing down the staircase. ‘And I still managed to leave him on good terms. That’s much better than what I made him feel last night.’

Still, I couldn’t wait until the others were released. Then there would be seven of us to share this job around. I was really hating constantly playing the leader and lone hero roles. They just weren’t me.


	7. Blaise

I found myself growing a little impatient as I waited that night. I was confident that the group I’d followed out the night before were the culprits. A fact that was only confirmed when I checked their claims. None of the Prefects from any other House were attacked last night. Not that they knew that I was checking up on them, not even Goldstein. I also knew that they were planning to go out again tonight, but I hadn’t seen even one of them since they entered the Slytherin Dungeons. Honestly, no one had, from what I’d gleamed.

It wasn’t until most of our House had headed off to bed that they actually revealed themselves again. Moving carefully into a deep indent in the wall near the boys’ dorms as a rumbling met my ears, I actually had to cover my mouth to prevent a loud gasp from leaving it. There, in the shadows beside the fireplace, the previously solid stone wall split apart, just wide and tall enough for body builds like Crabbe and Goyle’s to make it through. The wall itself had always been covered by a banner, leaving the new passage very well hidden if you weren’t looking for it. It was only from following the rumbling and the inch separating the banner from the floor that I’d noticed the opening it at all and I only discovered the size as Bulstrode pushed the fabric aside as she walked through, followed by seven others.

“We have got to do something about that rumbling.” Baddock mumbled, flinching from his place on the nearest sofa as the door rumbled shut. “That’s going to make the still free Slytherins suspicious.”

“They will just think that it is the House’s entrance.” Bulstrode shrugged as the remaining four Slytherins lounging around the Common room joined them.

“Tonight yes, but don’t be stupid. Many are already curious as to where you all went, including Parkinson.” Baddock retorted scathingly. “This is the house of cunning and ambition. There are plenty of kids watching even our moves in here and you know that Death Eater wannabe ruling over the others sticks her ugly little nose into everyone’s business.”

“Which is why this host was taken. So I could throw her off our scent.” Bulstrode hissed, her pudgy face getting right into Baddock’s. “Besides, you always know when that witch is onto you. How she got into this House is beyond me or my host. You cannot be sly, cunning or sneaky when you demand the spotlight every minute of the day.”

“Enough of this!” A fifth year girl I never bothered learning the name of butted in quietly, but fiercely, forcing her way between them. “You will only draw attention to us. Besides, when cannot keep the Sub Visser waiting.” Bulstrode and Baddock continued to glare at each other for another moment, however, both did ultimately concede. Satisfied, the fifth year, stepped aside and allowed Bulstrode to lead them on their way towards the House’s entrance.

It was fortunate that I had started morphing pixie the moment I caught myself staring at the new wall. It was difficult to manage, holding the sufficient concentration needed to transform while paying attention to every detail of them and their conversation, but I was experienced in multitasking. I still hadn’t fully developed my wings or gotten the wild instincts yet, but Cornish pixies were able to float around even without their wings, so I was able to follow as I finished the morph. The real challenge was the mischievous nature slamming into my mind the moment the common room entrance closed behind us. As much as I loathe to admit it, there was a few seconds when the pixie’s instincts took over completely again. A huge, evil grin spread across my face as my wings started fluttering and my fingers were itching to pull at the red hair not ten feet ahead of me. I wanted rip off the hoods that they were throwing up over their heads and use them as gags and blindfolds while I pulled their ears and pinched their necks, or grabbed some of the dust decorating the area and use it like makeup on their faces, or...

‘Shut up!’ Right before I reached my intended target, I yanked at the prankster’s instincts and shoved them as far back into the recesses of my mind that I could, sealing them there. Pulling back a little, I let the group gain a bit of distance on me and flew up higher before following again. It was a little tricky. I had to fly high enough that no one would see me, but at the same time, I had to be able to see them. Cornish pixie eyes are around the human level of quality in the dark, probably a little worse, and the dungeons, naturally, were not well lit. The students were even careful to not let more than one candle burn at a time, significantly lessening the amount of light produced to a single Lumos spells. It made the pixie’s instincts act up again too, the idea of stealing the only light source and shining it right in their eyes. Forcing it down again was only another distraction, but I still managed to press on without detection or losing them.

If what I saw and heard in the Common room wasn’t enough to back some of what Goldstein had told me, the utter lack of talk and swagger now definitely was. Pretty much every Slytherin, including a good few of the members of this group, had been strutting loudly all through the castle since the beginning of the school year. They were favoured and in power and made sure everyone knew it. Even those not so keen on Death Eater rule, like Baddock, did it to blend in. All of them were showing more pride in being Slytherin than ever as well. Yet this group had removed all signs of green and silver from their persons, had their mouths sealed shut, being extra careful not to be noticed and completely devoid of their superior attitudes. Even if they were breaking rules, my housemates always carried themselves with an air of superiority, especially these days. To see it replaced by such stoic forms, similar to my own, was a little disturbing.

The air around them did start to grow a little keen as we exited the dungeons. Though still silent, excited looks did pass a few of their faces as they looked around from the staircases. I grew a little confused as they headed up to the second floor and pulled away from the attacked corridors, but I continued following them as they moved up another staircase right to the fifth floor and down two passageways. Coming to a third hallway, all my confusion was resolved as a very specific door came into view. The group had taken a long, less monitored route to Professor Slughorn’s office.

Jorkins, a rather unimpressive sixth year boy, knocked on the door exactly one time before it opened to reveal the strangest sight of the night. A particularly cruel looking Slughorn smirking at his guests.

“What do you know, you’re a minute early.” I could see why Goldstein was so persistent on convincing me to watch myself around my Head of House now. There was no doubt in my mind that something had happened to Slughorn. Since he’d started teaching again, I had seen two sides to this man: a jolly, social man who was keen to brag about his connections and a spluttering coward. An image befitting the most intimidating Death Eaters did not fit this overweight, snivelling old man. Neither did the sight of him barking out orders. “Tonight’s marks are the areas pointed out on the third and fifth floors. Innis 821, Allor 748, Temrash 325, the three of you will destroy fifteen portraits up here.” He commanded, pointing to Jorkins, Smith and Baddock. “You will have to be quick, Snape is fast and unpredictable and we are much closer to his office this time than last night. I will be nearby in case you need time to get away. The rest of you will head down to the third corridor. I want a third of those portraits destroyed throughout the three corridors marked. Take out the corridor closest to the stairs first and work your way West. You know where to take cover upon completion.”

“Sir...I don’t mean to question the plan, Sub Visser, but wouldn’t it be better to burn all the portraits?” Bulstrode asked, scrunching her face up in fear of pain as Slughorn turned to her. “I just mean...wouldn’t it be quicker, less complicated? After all, the staff and rebel students have been going around protecting portraits. If we go too slow, we have no chance of destroying too many more.”

“True, but we don’t need to.” Slughorn responded, startling Bulstrode out of her fear with how calmly he answered. He actually managed to unnerve me with is smirk. “Soon, they will be a benefit to our invasion. The rebel children’s spy system will work for us. There’s no reason to destroy them all, just remove them from areas where they hinder our plans. After all, in the world of magic, knowledge is power in a much more literal sense and the old portraits hold forgotten knowledge that could be very useful for us. And in any case, the more portraits we stay to destroy, the longer you will be in danger of being spotted. You will all need to move quickly with the staff on alert for vandals.”

“But what about the protective charms that have been put in place?” Smith, a sixth year girl, asked, biting her lip.

“Nothing to concern yourself with, most work was done on the ground floor and around the other three House Common rooms.” Slughorn waved it off. “The second and fourth floors are being watched, but the low number of portraits in our targets on the third and fifth floors has left them neglected. You should have no problems. Now, off, all of you, before McGonagall shows up. God, that woman has been an irritation today.”

“Yes sir.” The students replied simultaneously before separating. Watching them go, I simply floated in place for a moment, caught in indecision. Which group should I follow? Snape’s office entrance was on the fifth floor so getting his attention would be easy enough, assuming he was in his office, but the larger group and number of targets was heading further down. Add in how much of my focus was being wasted on holding down the urge to wildly torment, and you got a mind that wasn’t thinking too well at the moment.

‘The best move would have been to cause a lot of noise before they separated.’ I berated myself as one group disappeared around a corner and the other grew harder and harder to see. ‘You wasted an opportunity.’

A squeaky huff forcing its way through my lips, I opted to kicking myself later in favour of stopping the group going to the third floor corridors. Though I still found a suit of armour and knocked it down with a clattering, echoing bang. The pixie got the best of me, but for once I wasn’t complaining. That was sure to draw some attention to the fifth floor.

It didn’t take long to catch up with these...hosts as they called themselves. They were moving slow and were halted by the moving staircases. They only just made it down the stairs to the fourth floor when I caught up. But I still needed a plan. Pixies were small, fast and tricky, but against a group of witches and wizards actually trying to hurt me, there was no way I was going to have the dominating results I had with Goldstein last night. Letting the pixie instincts cause mischief was good and loud, but I needed a way to get in and out without being followed. Maybe hit and run, we were still near the staircase and I could fly. I could move in three dimensions, there were plenty of places for me to hide, especially in the dark. Good, now I just needed something that could cause a lot of noise.

I was about to zip off and search for another suit of armour or something when another shadow caught my eye. The Slytherins had clearly noticed and were trying to slink past undetected, but there was another group of students out of bed. I couldn’t see anything descriptive, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that they were DA members. They were the only ones crazy enough to walk around and snoop after their curfew. And risk being blamed for the attacks.

Still, I wasn’t complaining. They were very useful right now.

That annoying, mischievous grin growing on my face again, I involuntarily let out a loud cackle before diving right at the hosts. The entire group flinched and spun around right as I reached them, making it easy to rip off two of their hoods as I flew by and poke a third in the eye, eliciting a scream. The results were immediate. In a flash, the DA members whipped their heads and their lit wands around, catching sight of my victims and came right at them. Cackling away uncontrollably, I bobbed and weaved through the spells suddenly being shot in both directions. The three I’d targeted were stuck, taking on two members of the DA while the others were running for it. A smart play if you didn’t mind abandoning your allies. The others would get away and finish what they came to do while their friends got in trouble. No one would be surprised by this play. Not that it helped too much if the mischievous pixie that started it followed them.

/You must be Mr Zabini./ I will admit, I was rather...surprised when a dreamy voice met my head. Though, considering what I now knew, I should have expected that Longbottom and his flunkies would show up eventually. /Anthony may have pulled that move with a pixie mind, but he would not leave those who helped to fight alone so easily. He would be rather concerned about his helpers’ wellbeing./

/You are correct, Lovegood. His loyalty is admirable, though in this case it would be his undoing./ I answered coolly as a cat ran out from the shadows and followed me. It was true, if I had stayed, then the others would have continued their job while the battle on the fourth floor drew all the attention. Better to leave the heroics to the wannabes and disrupt those going on then play hero there myself.

/I suppose it would./ Lovegood acknowledged just as airily as before. She was a peculiar one. I wondered if she was ever ruffled by anything. She maintained her airy look and tone even more than I retained my calm one. /I’m rather impressed with you. I wasn’t sure that you would believe. But I suppose your natural intensity repels most wrackspurts, they couldn’t affect you much. And few can rebuttal anything Anthony says./

I didn’t bother replying. I had no idea what this wrackspurt nonsense had to do with it anyway and had no interest in finding out. It was tricky enough keeping the pixie mind in check without useless garbage cluttering my head. The little pain was mischievous and tricky even to its own head.

Lovegood however, was completely unphased by the silent treatment and simply continued on. /Ernie dragged Anthony up to the fifth floor. He was a rat when we saw your housemates and followed them, so we couldn’t stop them alone. He’s a cat now, though he’s rather moody about having to stay small. It was rather interesting watching him giving a ride to a bowtruckle. I believe all of us could use more useful morphs. Heliopaths would make rather impressive morphs, though I guess in this case, fiery creatures might be more of an issue./ Well, one thing was worth paying attention to in all that rambling. We did need creatures that could actually do some damage. Like Goldstein’s painted wolf, only animals that could actually have their presence here explained away.

Fortunately for my patience, Lovegood ceased her talk of imaginary creatures as we made down to the stairs to the third floor. Unfortunately, the Slytherins had used the railings to speed up their descent and had already cast the first set of fire spells.

“ARGH, NO!”

“STAY AWAY!”

“PROFESSORS, COME QUICKLY! QUICKLY! FIRE!”

Obviously, the portraits were already awake and screaming. Good. That would draw more attention. All we had to do was hold the hosts up until the teachers got here.

For all the irritation Lovegood could bring me, she was excellent help in situations like this, probably due to both her irregular thought patterns and too much time associated with Potter’s circle. She seemed to know exactly what I was thinking and dived straight into the chaos with regards to the flames. Keeping low, but fast, she moved straight up to the tallest student and bit him as hard as she could right as he’d moved away from the flames and closer to the group. As a result, when he jumped and screamed at the unexpected attack, his flailing body ramming the group and left all of them stumbling away screaming as they came into close proximity with their own fires. The guy moved to shake Luna off, but she was gone within a second of biting and had jumped right up into the back of Bulstrode’s knee as my housemate lost balance, knocking her right to the ground before slinking off again. Grabbing Bulstrode’s wand in her mouth as she did.

Seising the opportunity, I swooped in and let the pixie do what it did best. Screaming in one girl’s ear and making her jump, I snatched her lit wand from her flailing hand and used it to blind half the group before hitting another boy’s wand, the resulting sparks setting both wands on fire. Dropping the wand on the ground, I flew away cackling as the witch and wizard scrambled desperately to save their wands before they were reduced to cinders.

At the same time, the portraits were still screaming and it was only growing louder as one member of the vandals managed to separate from the group and burn a few more portraits down the West corridor before Luna dashed after him and launched herself at his back, both the boy and the cat shrieking loudly as she ripped her claws straight through his robes. With all that going on when everyone was already on alert, it was only moments before the pale light of ghosts in the distance began to show up.

“Professor Snape! I have found the fires! And...I say, is that lot alright in the head?” It appeared to be that Hufflepuff ghost, the Fat Friar. “The way they’re spluttering about...Headmaster, be quick, I believe these students have been Confounded.”

Brilliant. The bloody dimwit just gave them the perfect excuse to hide behind. And they were quick to take advantage of it too, three of them immediately whipping their wands towards each other and casting the Confundus Charm until everyone was struck and acting stupid. They’d find someone to blame, probably Gryffindors or the DA, and none would be the wiser to the truth.

/I believe it is time that we hid in the shadows./ Luna mused, already slinking away. I myself was already flying up high, right to the far, dark ceiling.

“I need more than a shout, ghost!” Snape scowled a few minutes later, brimming with fury as he stalked his way quickly down the hall with a Amycus fighting back a smirk and Slughorn acting like his usual nervous self, as they followed behind him. The three quickly set to work putting out all of the already dying fires and moving the students away from the area. Snape then moved on to checking them all over for injuries and neutralised the Confundus charms.

“I don’t suppose you recall who would feel the desire to confound you here?” He asked silkily, eyeing each of his students down. However, surprisingly, all they did was cough and shake their heads. “No? Whoever did it is likely to be responsible for these fires. Did you see anyone else around tonight?”

“I remember running into a Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw.” Bulstrode muttered dazedly, looking ready to collapse. It didn’t help that Lovegood had injured the back of her knee. “We were going to drag them in for being out after their curfew.”

“Though you are currently guilty of the same broken rule?” Snape raised an eyebrow. I didn’t blame him, Slytherins were treated better, but we still were supposed to follow the rules set for us. And with the exception of idiots like Malfoy, none of us would ever be dumb enough to give ourselves up for doing it.

“What? No, it’s well within our curfew...isn’t it?” The redhead asked, looking thoroughly baffled and only appearing more so as he looked down at his watch. There was the lie. One that, strangely enough, spared the two that we saw upstairs too. If they were the ones responsible for the fires, they would have started them long ago, not given the teachers time to find a bunch of confounded idiots and be on the lookout for them. One of the two was identified as a Ravenclaw after all, even Slytherins knew to respect their intellect and strategy.

Snape just stared at them for a moment, probably using a little Legimency, but they must have Occluded the truth pretty well, for he simply sighed in acceptance a few moments later. “Very well. We will look for these wandering students and deal with them. Amycus, take these students to the Hospital Wing, they seemed to have a few cuts and have breathed in a lot of smoke. Then see if Alecto and Minerva found anything upstairs.”

“Yes, Headmaster.” Normally, Amycus would be annoyed with not finding someone he could punish, but by this point, he’d given up trying to hide his satisfaction of the destruction. Which, of course, made him look particularly suspicious to Snape and covered Slughorn’s involvement perfectly. Which I’m sure Slughorn and the Slytherins were counting on. It’s a very cunning plan, I had to give them that. Now, not one of them was a suspect, even after being found in a corridor with burning portraits. Not many could pull that off with Snape in the area. Granted, all of this was only possible because the portraits’ people had all abandoned the area.

“Severus.” Slughorn said nervously as the students disappeared, taking a few steps to a burnt frame that once held a depiction of an Argos Bailey, a famous Healer from three hundred years ago. “I...I came by hear earlier today and put some charms up myself. I assure you, fire proofing charms were included of course.” He added quickly.

/Quite the talented liars, these Yeerks, don’t you think?/ Luna asked. I just ignored her in favour of the conversation.

“That-that means whoever did this broke my spells.” He went on, starting to sweat a little as Snape pierced him with a dark look. “And I assure you, I’m good at what I do. You know that.”

“Yes, your talents are well respected in every circle.” Snape admitted, turning his scowl over the area. “That can only mean that the portraits...are not safe, even now.”

“Exactly! So, perhaps we should move them?” Slughorn nodded quickly, putting on a great show of nervousness whenever Snape looked at him.

“There are far too many around the castle to remove them all, and if they were to be put into storage, what would stop our vandals from destroying them all at once?” Snape retorted with a raised eyebrow.

“I wasn’t thinking of moving all the portraits or storage. I just don’t think we should leave them here, in the places attacked.” Slughorn replied quickly, raising shaky hands. “I thought simply that the areas already attacked are likely to be hit again. You know, to finish off their work. It wouldn’t be wise to leave them here to that. But if we move the portraits closer together until we find the culprits, they’ll be easier to watch over.”

Snape just stood there for moment, mulling it over before finally nodding. “Very well. We will begin with this area tomorrow morning. For now, I want all students out of bed found and everyone looking out for anyone acting...suspiciously.” ‘Like the Carrows’ was clearly implied with that tone.

“Of course, of course Headmaster. I’ll tell you if I find anything.” Slughorn stuttered quickly, his feet taking off even faster. Playing his role perfectly again. Slughorn hadn’t been keen to be anywhere near Snape, period, since the start of term and never alone with the senior Death Eater.

/One would never suspect Professor Slughorn if you didn’t already know the truth./ Luna mused as Snape stormed away, already on the prowl. /And the Carrows make it very easy to place blame. Curious though, from what we had heard before tonight, we had assumed that the Yeerks wanted all the portraits destroyed./

/These Yeerks can take anyone, right? That includes those the portraits will give information to./ I responded shortly. That was old news. I was more interested in the new turn of events.

/Yes, I can see the wisdom of such a move./ Luna agreed without a trace of irritation at my attitude. /Then I shall move on to the real question. What are the Yeerks planning to do that requires such a large territory? They could have gotten it for long term planning and space, but I have a strong feeling that it’s all part of a near completed goal./

That’s exactly what I was thinking about. And as I flew off to find a place where I could safely demorph, I gave Lovegood one response. /Tell Longbottom to think over Potter’s heroic past. I believe you’ll find the answer there./

If I was right, this could be very favourable. To either side, depending on how we act on it.


	8. Anthony

“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it.” Terry exclaimed excitedly, his hands rapidly playing out every action he described. “One second, we’re sneaking around in the dark, watching out for anything suspicious, the next there’s a cackle bouncing off the walls, an erratic wand light zipping around wildly and a scream. We turned to the staircase just in time to see a Cornish pixie rip two hoods off a group of Slytherins and poke another guy right in the eye.”

“Just one pixie? And inside the castle, that’s weird.” I mused with a frown, staring at the rain hitting the waves. We were spending what little time we could without Death Eaters breathing down our necks lounging under a tree near the lake. The place was about as far around the lake as you could get from the castle, so it was only a matter of time before a Death Eater decided to stalk our way, but for now, it made a perfectly peaceful place to talk about things we shouldn’t be involved in. Yeah, it was wet, but few charms and a rune for warmth drawn in the dirt kept us in a small, dry and comfortable bubble. “Pixies are known to travel in groups. It’s unusual for them to leave the forest, especially alone. Unless someone intentionally brought it in as a prank.” It was so easy to hide the truth when I use other truths.

“Yeah, I know, and it only gets weirder.” Terry went on, his hand already starting a zigzag. “The thing went in for the one run, cackled away while weaving around the spells we fired at each other and then just took off. Since when do those little terrors run away from chaos?”

“When there’s more to be had elsewhere?” I offered with a shrug before turning to him accusingly. “But while on the subject, attacking, really? You’re first instinct is to attack? You don’t even know if they were the arsonists! You’re lucky they never saw your face, they’ve already identified a Ravenclaw’s involvement. You should have at least removed the blue and bronze before sneaking out.”

“Um, yeah, in retrospect that would have been a good idea.” Terry conceded sheepishly, absentmindedly thumbing the blue decorating his robes. “And I didn’t mean to start a duel, Fay shot the spell before I could say anything. After that, well, I couldn’t leave her to deal with three attackers alone, could I? And I know they were the arsonists.” He added, growing firm and stubborn. “They had a few friends with them that continued on and the fires started from their direction not long after they took off.”

“Where they were found confounded and claiming that they remembered a Gryffindor and Ravenclaw attacking them.” I retorted, raising an eyebrow. I knew that was a downright lie, but I could never explain how, so I had to go with the running story. Even if I knew Terry was right.

“We barely even saw the ones that ran off, we sure didn’t hit them with any spells.” Terry replied coolly. Though, a flicker of hesitancy crossed his face a moment later. “Though, if they were confounded after they took off...”

“The students may not have been responsible for their actions, if they were the ones to actually attack the portraits at all.” I sighed, Terry growing a little unsure and guilty. As bad as most of them were, Terry still wasn’t fond of the idea of attacking Slytherins without justifiable cause. Before this year, he wouldn’t attack most of them at all. Malfoy and his thugs were an occasional exception, but let’s be honest, how many people haven’t thought of cursing that pain good? Even I laughed when Fake Moody turned him into a ferret and shoved him down Crabbe’s pants.

“Still, last night still proved the point that I was trying to make.” He muttered, looking me right in the eye. “Snape, the Carrows, they checked up on both House Towers last night and still don’t know that I was out. Michael was more than capable of putting the glamour charms up himself. I can come with you when you do these...completely out of character, risky ventures. I know how to avoid getting caught and I can help.”

“I know you can. But you don’t have my Prefect position or my clean slate. If you’re there and we get caught, it’ll be a whole lot harder to get away without a week of being the human target for torture curse practice or whatever punishment they come up with next.” I responded before I noticed a hidden suggestion to what he was saying. “And I am capable of taking care of myself you know! We’ve had this conversation, I’m more than capable of handling myself.”

“I know that and I don’t doubt it for a second.” Terry replied quickly, raising his hands in surrender. “But just because you can doesn’t mean you should have to handle it alone all the time. I just don’t like you taking so many risks. I don’t want you getting hurt or put on the Carrows’ watch list if I can avoid it. Would you expect any less of me?”

“No, sorry. I guess I’m just a bit frustrated and sleep deprived.” I said apologetically, shaking my head and grinning a little as he pulled me close to him and leaned us back against the tree. It was the truth, I only got about three hours sleep last night and I’d morphed a few times. Dealing with the group on the fifth floor wasn’t that hard. Ernie had slinked through the hallways knocking down every statue and piece of armour his small size allowed while I climbed the walls and shook portraits. We were never noticed while the Controllers were left jumpy and panicked as the loud bangs and startled portraits attracted a few ghosts and the nearby Professor Flitwick. They only managed to burn one portrait before they headed for the hills and strangely enough, no one really cared too much. It was a portrait of Lockhart that somehow managed to stick around. Personally, I think everyone was glad to see it gone.

But that wasn’t all I did. See, Ernie and I were worried that the Yeerks would retaliate, so we thought it was best to keep an eye on Slughorn. Something that was impossible in human form, but cats were common sights at Hogwarts and bowtruckles blended in with stone and were small, making it easy enough to go undetected. With how thick and flowing his robes always are, I was actually able to cling onto them and got carried around undetected for most of the time I was watching him, long after Ernie had to return to the dungeons, but all I got from it was that he was pleased with the night’s events. Disappointed that the fifth floor hallway was a failure and wasn’t going to be stripped of portraits, but he was more than happy with how well his plan had worked.

Then of course, my time limit showed up and I had to demorph. Then I had a choice, morph again or try to go unseen through Hogwarts as a naked teenager. Naturally I chose morphing again, bowtruckle was the only morph I could risk being caught in and it took a long time for those little legs to make it back to my stuff. Add that to the time taken by the slow, careful walk to the Room of Requirement and staring in shock and exasperation at the sleeping Terry and Fay and you’ve got one exhausted boy. I was ready for today to be over.

“It’s fine, just take a nap Anthony.” Terry grinned, altering us so that I was leaning more on him than the tree, making me more comfortable. “I’ll wake you up before free period ends.”

“You better. I’ve got potions too...” I never did finish my sentence. Once I was comfy, my eyes closed on their own and I was out like a light.

....

I was forever amazed by just how different potions was once Snape was removed from the class. Even knowing that I had a Yeerk teaching the class, it was so much less stressful and students weren’t afraid to ask for the help they needed. They even got it, without any of the insults. Even Potter and Weasley had shown significant improvement in their potion making skills.

We were working on antidotes again today. They were always a challenge. Different poisons required very different concentrations and neutralising compounds. We’re each paired up and randomly given a specific poison to counteract at the start of the lesson and sent on our way. It was the best way to test our talents, making it impossible to cheat off of others. It was all fine with me, except for who my partner was. Nott.

In retrospect, with only eight people left in the class and five of them being Slytherins, it could have been a lot worse. Nott made no harsh or demeaning comments, in fact he only talked about the steps and ingredients of the potion, confirming who was doing what and informing me on what I needed to do to perfect my work the same way I helped Blaise in Ancient Runes. He was a little more hesitant to talk, but he wasn’t really rude. It was just that...I guess it was who his father was and the people he was always associating with that unnerved me most, combined with that cold attitude he exhibited. Plus, that moment in Herbology class was still on my mind.

“Hand that here.” He said, pointing to the mortar and pestle I was using. “You’re too jittery, the powder’s not going to fine enough. Give that to me and start cutting the flower stems.” That would have been offensive and arrogant coming from most other Slytherins, or even Ravenclaws, but the tone he used made it sound more like a suggestion or offer. One that I was happy to take, my mind was jumping around a bit too much. The cut stem pieces used in the potion had to be precise, using the blade would require a lot more focus than crushing newt horns. The greater the demand, the less likely my mind would wander.

Pruning away the leaves from each stem, I took my knife and cut the flowers right off, placing it with the other ingredients for further along, before carefully measuring and indenting the stems every one and a half centimetres. After that, it was only a matter of firm strokes before I had perfectly sized plant matter to drop into the cauldron with the crushed newt horns powder.

“Ok, so now we need to leave it simmering for five minutes, add some flobberworm mucus and three flowers’ worth of petal fragments and stir clockwise until the fragments dissolve, right?” I asked, biting my lip hesitantly as I gave him a sideways look. He simply nodded, seeming a little distracted as he grabbed the flowers and started tearing them up. Having already measured the fifteen millilitres of mucus we needed, I just sat there and watched him work effortlessly, just as he had throughout the whole brewing. The antidote we were making was for counteracting a wizard brewed poison, cerebral venom. The poison targeted the cerebral cortex and caused a lot of pain and paralysis. The antidote was one of the more difficult ones to make, but Nott had moved us through the entire process quickly and easily, the potion currently taking on the pale orange hue that the method described. I had a feeling that he could have made it just fine and with plenty of time to spare without my help. And yet he didn’t hold any of that over me.

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. Every social book and discussion I had told me that you could tell a lot about the person by those that they surrounded themselves with, but other than being a little cold most of the time and snickering at his Housemates’ comments, I’d never seen him act anything like them. He certainly didn’t today. In fact, when he was hesitating from talking to me, it was almost as if he was forcing himself to hold back rather than not wanting to talk to me. There were flickers across his face too that he often hid with his hair. Vulnerable, unsure and...envious maybe? I didn’t know why he would be, but I was sure that I saw it. Though each time his calm look broke, I got a split second before he hid his face or went stoic again, so I could have been mistaken.

Though right now, a deep frown was planted firmly on his face and I was confident it had nothing to do with the carefully gathered petal specks being gathered in a small basin. It was a look I saw on Neville and Ginny’s faces a lot. The look of a man struggling to make a decision.

Suddenly, he looked as fidgety as I must have looked with the pedestal. Finishing with the petals, his hands immediately went for his books and parchment, moving them around almost systematically. Every few moments, he’d look at me through the corner of his eye before refocusing his attention squarely on the notes and cauldron before him. He wanted to say something, I recognised the actions from plenty of shy first year students over the years. They were similar to my own. It went on for a good two minutes before he said anything, but I just waited. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear what he had to say or not.

“Zabini wants you to meet him where you talked two nights ago.” Nott mumbled so softly that I almost didn’t catch it over the bubbling and hissing of the potions and grunts of frustrated students. “He said it’s important.”

“Really?” I asked, barely stopping myself from gaping. I didn’t know what was surprising me more: Blaise setting up a meeting or the fact that he told Nott to give me the message. Or maybe even that Nott was compliant. This told me two things. One was that this had to be important and the other was that he trusted Nott absolutely. Even if he wasn’t a Controller, Nott could easily expose us both to the Carrows and turn Blaise into a pariah in his own House. It made me wonder just who Nott was all over again. “Ok, thanks.”

Nott once again looked like he wanted to say more for a few seconds, but simply nodded before turning his attention back to our potion. I continued to ponder the new information presented to me for a few more moments, but shoved it back into my mind for later as Nott extinguished the fire and reached for the petals. The potion had to be stirred slowly and constantly as the last ingredients were added and that wasn’t going to happen if I distracted myself. What made Nott so trustworthy would just have to wait.

....

Assuming he meant during our lunch break, I quickly scooped up a few sandwiches from the Great Hall and headed off to the room, claiming to be heading to the library. Nothing suspicious about that, I’ve done it so many times that the lie rolled off my tongue with ease.

Making it to the classroom was easy enough, it was normal for students to be rushing about everywhere at lunch time. Even the Death Eaters said nothing about it unless they deemed you acting suspicious or going somewhere declared out of bounds. As far as they’re concerned, I’m neither. There was a slight problem when I crossed paths with some cocky fourth year Slytherins, but even they were never keen to do more than spout a few foul comments. Ignore anything I say to them, they’re happy to do. Actually get into a fight with me, well...reputation aside, I am still a seventh year with well known talent for spells and runes. Shy and unconfident or not, I’m not the best person to push into a wall.

Blaise was already there when I slipped in, sitting on the desk that once held a caged pixie. The room had definitely been cleaned since then, much to my relief. There wasn’t any sign of the spilled ink and everything that had fallen while Blaise was flying around was either back where it came from or gone. Considering how dusty and out of use this room was, I had a feeling that it was Blaise that cleaned it. I was honestly quite grateful for that, I didn’t need any reminders of the pixie/Blaise attack.

“Hey Blaise, something on your mind?” I asked, closing the door behind me as he stood up and waved me over. Curious, I walked right up to the desk to find an old map of Hogwarts.

“A pattern.” He said simply, grabbing a quill and ink bottle and quickly drawing circles on the map. “Two nights ago, the portraits were burned in these places.” He stated, indicating the circles on the second and fourth floors. “Last night, these locations were attacked.” He went on, adding circles to corridors on the third floor and one half finished circle to one on the fifth. “Notice the connection?”

“There all on the same side of the castle.” I answered, curious to where this was going. “Most hallways and corridors hit were a little off to the right of the castle, right above or below each other, with all of them having one corridor leading closer to the main staircase.”

“There’s more than that.” Blaise stated, tapping the third floor with the quill. “The third floor’s in the middle. They haven’t bothered with anything below the second floor at all and even the fifth was very small and specific. A small area near the staircase to the Astronomy Tower.”

“And it’s the completely unused side of the third floor.” I continued, following his train of thought. “The side that was made forbidden in our first year because it was in use protecting the Philosopher’s Stone!”

“In a series of underground chambers accessible only by a trap door.” Blaise nodded before pointing just outside the castle. “The land rises on the right-hand side. When the castle was built, instead of levelling the land, they simply had part of the third floor rest on top of it. That’s why the trapdoor was put there specifically. Even in the corridor just outside that room, a trap door would have you falling to the second floor, just like anywhere else not in the dungeons.”

“Making it the best place to hide something big.” I nodded, staring over the stone depicted.” Without one of these old maps, you’d never even know about the stone meeting the third floor. The castle wall was built around the incline and the common modern maps don’t show it. We only know something’s there now because of what Potter and the Dark Lord did in our first year."

“And most people think that the area was the result of expansion charms due to its position, not a genuinely underground place.” Blaise continued. “Most people would probably think the chambers are gone now. Which makes it a good place for these...possessors to meet.”

“And create an unnoticeable passage to the Chamber of Secrets.” I frowned hard, biting my lip. Blaise hesitated a moment before nodding in agreement.

“There’s more to it as well. Think about the locations in and around the attacked areas. The Charms corridor is right down the hall from the forbidden corridor. The Transfiguration classroom is in the attacked area below. Dark Arts is nearby on the fourth floor. Everyone is forced to take Dark Arts, almost every student takes charms and most take Transfiguration.”

“Strategic placement.” I nodded. I could see it. “And when moving to and from those classes, the main stairway that attacked corridors move very close to is used by a lot of students. It would be easy for any Yeerks to slip away unnoticed in the crowd into a portrait free corridor or to the forbidden corridor. They could even move on new targets a lot easier. But why all the floors?” I couldn’t help but wonder. “The fourth, second and fifth floors would have given them more places to meet privately easier, but they’re still likely to be seen by other students or teachers. It would make sense if the main stairway’s portraits were attacked to, to connect them, but with portraits common on the way to and from these areas...”

“It may be preparation for something else. Establish territory that would be needed later now, while they still have a chance.” Blaise answered, staring thoughtfully over the map. “Or the staircase may be a future target. In either case, given the information you have given me on these Yeerks, I believe that my theory is the most likely purpose for clearing these specific areas.”

“Oh, I believe it. I’m just trying to see the whole picture.” I replied, resting my chin on my fist as I thought it over. All these positions were perfect for strategic placement, but without a clear path to a secret location, only the third floor was likely to offer any constant amount of privacy and attacking the staircase would just get the Yeerks caught. It’s too big, reaching a total of five floors. An attacker would be guaranteed to be spotted there long before they burned enough portraits for it to be worth it, assuming one of those portraits didn’t make them from a distance before taking off.

“The only way to determine the whole strategy would be to spy.” Blaise stated suggestively, raising an eyebrow. “We could confirm our belief in the underground chambers’ use. If we are correct in believing that the location is being used for private conversations and the like, we will be far more likely to hear them discuss the rest of their plan in more detail.”

“True.” I started slowly, a little unsure. “But we can’t go in as ourselves. If they see our faces and realise that we’re not infested, we won’t just be desirable targets, we’ll be hunted down.”

“So we’ll use this morphing power.” Was Blaise’s unphased response. “We will choose forms that blend in underground, can get through either without being seen or drawing any suspicion if they are. Hide in plain sight.”

Gnawing on my lip, I stared at the map for a few moments, mulling it all over. To be honest, I was scared. Going into Yeerk territory, places that had already been well set up, was not made out to be easy. The chambers would already be set up if they’d moved to attack the portraits, I was sure of that, and they’d be defended, both by Yeerk forces, possibly lingering magic from when they protected the Philosopher’s Stone, and any new enchantments that the Controllers put on the place. Going in without the backup of a group was an extremely risky play.

But then, waiting for the others to be free would only buy the Yeerks more time to finish their plans and take more hosts. I wasn’t going to do that again, it blew up in my face far too spectacularly last time. That really only gave me two options: do this with just Blaise or wait until I could find whoever was actively sneaking around the castle today. As a cat, rat or owl. In the entire school filled with cats, rats and owls.

“Ok, I’m in.” I sighed, hoping I wouldn’t regret my decision. I looked up just in time for Blaise to smirk at me.

“Good. Now, I have already determined a good method for infiltration. To begin, we’re going to have to visit the half-giant.”


	9. Blaise

Before this week, I never thought I’d ever go near the Games Keeper unless I needed someone mauled. The half giant was well known for loving and keeping creatures that were well and truly dangerous, even for fully trained wizards. All of the Slytherins in my year who took Care of Magical Creatures all declared it a joke while Hagrid was teaching the class or went on about how the monsters he brought would hopefully eat a Gryffindor. I wasn’t sure how biased they were, but it was clear that there was something behind it if all the Slytherins agreed and spoke of it so frequently.

However, if we wanted to sneak in and out of the hidden chambers without being noticed, then we needed more morphs. The pixie morph was good and capable on parchment, it was small and could fly. I could simply fly over the heads of everyone. However, it was too hard to control. Even when I was in control, I was almost overwhelmed by its urge to cause mischief and chaos a number of times. I only managed to keep it under wraps for so long due to planning to cause trouble and even then, I’d cackled loudly without even realising my mouth was opening. And as for Goldstein, two of his morphs would be noticed instantly and the possessors would know exactly what was going on. As for the bowtruckle morph, it was small enough to hide, but slow and with insufficient eyes. On top of that, though one might wander through the castle doors, it would never make it up three floors and into the chambers. You might be able to push it in areas commonly used by students, but not a place most people don’t realise still exists.

At first, I’d thought about acquiring people possessed and walking in as if we belonged there, but I quickly scrapped the idea. While I was confident that Goldstein could point out plenty of useable people, the plan had too many flaws. The people chosen may not be supposed to enter at that time or could arrive while we were still inside. Even if they didn’t, others would see us there and possibly talk to us, causing suspicion later when the people we shapeshift into don’t know what has been said. The last one wouldn’t normally be too bad, but Goldstein made it clear that our best option of stopping these invaders is for them not to know we know about them yet. There was also a final, potentially very worrying scenario. If I was right about the chambers, then they were sure to be well guarded in case the wrong person came through. Wards and enchantments could get us revealed, killed or possessed very easily.

That left animals. Magical creatures were often very capable of getting around undetected by wizards’ magic. Our spells were designed to detect our powers, a fact that was difficult to rectify and created an opening for many animals. To stop such creatures, you had to expect them to come and be a problem, cast spells designed for them specifically. Normally, even an Animagus couldn’t slip through, but the fact that I had magical creatures in mind and the notable difference in the way we transform, I was confident that it wouldn’t be a problem. All we had to do was pick an animal that was able to go around unseen quickly and have sufficient senses to determine what was around them. Hence going to see the Care of Magical Creatures Professor. Small and stealthy may not be his preference, but with the range of students he had, he would definitely have them.

Goldstein gained a slight bounce to his step as the hut came into sight. He was trying to put up a calm, slightly uncomfortable mask as he fingered his Ancient Runes book, a facade for us to be seen together without causing suspicion, but he was rather poor at hiding how he felt. The idea of new shapes to take and experience, the chance to get inside the heads of Magical Creatures and learn more about them than anyone had ever done before, it was an observer like Goldstein’s dream. Not to mention the possible benefits. I’ll admit, they draw my curiosity and excitement too. Goldstein had told me about the Animorph Rachel discovering a magical sense of direction from acquiring a Thestral and his knew ability to see magical auras from the bowtruckle. I’d noticed one myself. It was rather surprising this morning when I found myself levitating above my bed. That was one aspect of acquiring the pixie that I liked. Though it was a little bit of a struggle to return to the ground from seven feet up.

More than a few people gave us odd looks as we crossed the grounds, but most ignored it when they saw a jittery Goldstein holding his book. It was normal for me to go to him for advice on runes, he was a prodigy and I had the ambition to improve. The looks got more suspicious as we got close to the hut, but by then, the people around were far and few, none of them bothering us.

“What creature did you have in mind?” Goldstein asked as we reached the first paddock just behind the hut, frowning a little at the crate beside the hut wall. “I don’t think flobber worms would be useful for anything.”

“I have no intention of ever using such lousy creatures.” I said simply, not sparing so much as a glance at them. They would fit in underground, but they were slow, blind, deaf and prey to just about everything small. Wizards only bothered with them at all for their mucus.

“I never thought you would.” Goldstein grinned before eyeing a small burrow curiously. “Hmm, I wonder what’s in there?”

“Tha’ be a mooncalf.” Goldstein jumped as the loud, rough voice of the half giant struck our ears. Turning around, Goldstein spinning a lot faster than me, we found the overly large man walking around the side of his home, making his way to us. “Funny, little bugger, tha’ one. Normally he lives within th’ trees, but every few months he makes a new burrow an’ I ‘ave ta find ‘im again. Seems ta like ‘ere at the moment.”

“Mooncalf...They look a lot like tiny cows, right? But with long feet, spindly legs and comically large eyes?” Goldstein asked, getting a pleased nod from the half giant. “We keep an eye on them for the benefit of their droppings, right? They make magical plants grow much faster.”

“Aye, stronger too, but only if ya harvest it before da sun rises afta da full moon, when they come out ta dance.” The half giant nodded happily, looking more pleased by the second. “Not many know tha’ much when I introduce da topic. Most don’t know the shy little guy exists. Magical creatures fascinate ya?”

“I got curious about them Professor sprout commented on planting aconite seeds in mooncalf manure.” He admitted, grinning shyly. “Mooncalfs were one of the more intriguing creatures my studies have drawn me to.”

“Haha! A true Ravenclaw.” He laughed heartily. “Always findin’ details to obscure facts. Ya always are a amusin’ bunch. What passin’ comment brought ya and ya friend to my humble home today?”

“Actually, we were hoping to check out some of the creatures you have here.” Goldstein answered with a bright, hopeful smile. “I’ve heard that there a lot of really fascinating ones in the paddocks and we have a free period. Do you mind if we see them?”

“Course not. I’d be ‘appy ta show ya around.” The Games Keeper grinned. Waving a massive hand, he directed us further towards the forest. “This way. This one’s only used fer flobberworms and fer classes, normally. The animals are mostly kept a little in da forest.”

It took a lot to keep up with his keen, enthusiastic strides, but Goldstein seemed quite happy to run and I had no interest in being left behind. Moving into a more tree covered area, it only took us a few moments to find a few charm-made habitats. The first one to show up was what I had heard was the Professor’s favourite creature under his care. Within the paddock rested five proud and powerful adult Hippogriffs and two calves dozing at their mothers’ sides.

“Most impressive creatures I got, outside da deep forest.” The Professor exclaimed, waving his arms proudly. “Beautiful, ain’t they? Strong as a warhorse, fast as an eagle. Got a bit of a temper, very proud creatures. But, if ya show ‘em respect, they should give it back.”

“They were originally created by crossbreeding a griffin with a horse.” Goldstein continued. “They’re not as powerful, but more willing to mix with and allow wizards to ride them than griffons. In addition, they require a lot less food and their horse half made other animals more inclined to be near them, making them good for guard work. So the species was encouraged to breed.”

“Right again.” Professor Hagrid beamed. It was wise of me to come accompanied with Goldstein. The Games Keeper would never have been this welcoming or accepting of me, being a Slytherin who never took his class, but bringing Goldstein in particular was having a wondrous effect. His knowledge excited the Professor so much that it would be easy to take this as far as we needed to go. If Goldstein kept this up, the half giant would take us to the center of the Forbidden Forrest and right up to the most dangerous creature hidden within the trees if Goldstein asked. “Did ya wanna go in an’ say hello?” He offered merrily, already preparing to jump the fence.

“Um, maybe another time.” Goldstein spluttered, immediately growing nervous and taking a step back. “They’re a bit big and um...I’d rather start with smaller creatures if you don’t mind. Work my way up, you know?”

“Oh, a’course.” The Professor nodded, setting himself back. He looked a little disappointed, but was no less understanding. Even those who don’t know so much as his name knew that Goldstein had a shy and nervous nature. It was perfectly understandable to not want to move in with such dramatic, powerful beasts on his first try with magical creatures.

I was a little tempted to touch one, but I chose to hold back for now. It was a very powerful animal, the strongest one that would be easy enough to touch, and would no doubt come in handy in the future, but it was useless for what we were planning right now. Of all the creatures under the Games Keeper’s care, a hippogriff was the last one that you would find making its way into the castle on its own and would stick out worse than Peeves.

We moved on not long after, the next few paddocks and habitats often holding more than one breed of animal. Salamanders sitting in a contained, constant fire, crups playing with each other, fire crabs, were lounging in a small pond or sunbathing next to them. Professor Hagrid and Goldstein kept up a near constant conversation as we passed each habitat, the Professor pointing out features, diet and interesting tricks they possessed while Goldstein often brought up their histories and the benefits their blood or hair samples provided wizards. I made sure to pay attention to every word. Many of these animals were useless to us right now, but each had talents that could be extremely beneficial later.

The diricawl for example...

“The Muggles called them dodo birds.” Goldstein informed us as we approached their high fenced aviary. “They thought that they’d driven the species to extinction. The Wizarding Community decided to let them keep believing that because this creature’s disappearance was a major one in making them realise the consequences to over-poaching."

“Right again.” Professor Hagrid nodded excitedly as we stared at the ugly, flightless bird. “It’s because o their ability to disappear and reappear. They do it whenever they feel threatened. But only where day’ve bin before an’ never long distances. Grateful fer dat, let me tell ya.” He muttered with a frown, rubbing his beard, reliving a memory. “Gotta be careful when they’re bein studied. Tha’ Malfoy twit had ‘em teleportin all through da habitats one time. Used ter have five, but three ended up breakfast fer them werewolves in da forest.”

“There are actually werewolves forever in that forest?” I asked sceptically, raising an eyebrow. “That’s not possible. They only transform during the full moon.”

“Aye, but those ain’t human werewolves.” Professor Hagrid answered with a shrug, succeeding in completely stunning both me and Goldstein.

“Say what?” Goldstein cried, staring wide eyed back and forth from the Professor to the forest. “What do you mean by that? It’s not possible for other creatures to become werewolves. Only human blood is affected by the werewolf’s saliva.”

“Very true. But these ones are a special case.” Hagrid smiled fondly, turning to the trees himself. “These were wolves born. A pair o’ werewolves...well, mated, durin da full moon. Da mother gave birth to pups. But ya see, unlike human werewolves, these ones look almost exactly like real wolves an’ never change form. Intelligent as humans, they are though. Seen ‘em around a number of times, very smart, very gentle too, ‘less ya prey. Good with humans, so long as ya good ta them. Poor things were rejected by their mum, most people didn’ want ‘em around either. Thought they’d be vicious all da time. So Dumbledore brought ‘em here ter grow an’ live in da forest. Great man, Dumbledore.” He added, growing sad at the end. He worshiped the ground Dumbledore walked on, it wasn’t surprising his mood would deteriorate.

Goldstein was completely out of his element now too. Comforting was clearly not something that he was used to doing. He was probably used to be the comforted. I wasn’t exactly good at it either, so I did what I often did when this situation became unavoidable. I looked for a new topic.

“Those are augureys, right?” I asked, pointing into the aviary. Following my finger, Goldstein looked up and gaped, surprised he’d missed them. Perched and blending in with the brambles throughout the back of the aviary were three birds. They looked like underfed vultures with sharp beaks, a thin body slightly smaller than the Muggle equivalent, and was covered in greenish black feathers. It was kind of mournful looking, but I rather liked it.

“Yes, tha’s correct.” The Games Keeper grunted, pulling himself together with a deep breath. “Fascinatin birds, them augureys. Can sense when it’s gonna rain, which is when they sing. Most people declare it a moan thou, used ta think augureys could sense death and moaned in sadness. Really, they’re happy. Able to fly easily in da strongest a storms, partly ‘cause o’ their repellent wings an’ their surprising wing strength. Can’ carry a great deal, but can ride hurricane winds with ease if they wanna.”

“Would I be allowed to touch one?” I asked as politely as I could. Goldstein turned a slightly confused look to me, but I ignored it, choosing instead to stare up at the Professor. I knew why he was looking at me, this bird was of no use where we were going. But it appealed to me. Flying was fun, but the pixie was prey and really annoying. It’s speed and power paled in comparison to predator birds like the augurey. The morph would be very useful later and was more unique than the obvious choice of owl. I had to get it with the aid of Professor Hagrid, otherwise I would potentially set the diricawl into a panic and have my presence discovered. Suspicion at the aviary would mean greater suspicion if someone ever saw an augurey flying around. Besides, touching more animals would lessen potential problems with the Games Keeper talking. If we touched animals, as opposed to say, a knarl, there would be far less suspicion if the knarl was discovered somewhere near destruction.

“If they’re willin.” Hagrid nodded, slowly moving the aviary door. “But they’re mighty timid creatures. They’ll come ter me, but tend ter be shy ‘round students. Still, if ya wanna, we’ll give it a shot.”

Creeping the door open, he gently nudged a diricawl out of the way and walked in with me following.

“You comin Goldstein?” Professor Hagrid asked, closing the door until it was ajar behind me, offering him entry. However, Goldstein just grinned and shook his head.

“No Professor. If one breed of birds can teleport and the one you’re after is very timid, I believe that less people entering the aviary would be the better option.”

“Oh, quite right, quite right.” Professor Hagrid nodded, chuckling at his own lack of forethought as he shut the door properly. “We won’ be too long. We’ll find something for ya to get to know soon. Don’ want ya missin out.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Professor Hagrid. I’m having a great time.” Goldstein smiled back and I swear that if the Games Keeper beamed any brighter, he’d burst into flames.

Making his way to the back, he moved noticeably slower than before, encouraging me with his arm to do the same. Diricawl squawked as we passed them, but for the most part, they didn’t move very far away. I guess they were used to the half giant walking through.

“Why does the school have diricawl?” I asked as one brushed its tail feathers against my leg. “I can think of no potion that uses anything coming from them or any item. They are not even European birds.”

“True, at most we use their feathers for quills.” Professor Hagrid conceded, guiding me around particularly a curious diricawl standing on a rock. It tapped my leg with its beak on my way by, squawking as I ignored it. “They make better portkeys too. But mostly it’s so we can care for ‘em and hide ‘em away from the Muggles. You know, the extinction thing.”

“I see.” My question answered, I remained quiet after that until we reached the brambles. Digging his hand into his pockets, Professor Hagrid pulled out a jar of dead lizards and opened it slowly, offering them. Most of the augureys took one look at my presence and shrunk further against the plants, but the one nearest to the jar turned out to be a little more adventurous. Cautiously taking one slow step at a time, frequently turning to look from the jar to me and back again, it walked all the way to the edge of the brambles and hesitantly walked up Professor Hagrid’s arm. Chuckling, Professor Hagrid took the lid of the jar away completely and offered them to the bird, which instantly shoved its beak through the opening.

“There we go.” The Professor hummed, looking the bird over. The augurey must have showed signs of relaxing, for he nodded approvingly a moment later before slowly lowering himself toward me. “He should be alright now. Go ahead, touch his feathers. Slowly now.”

Taking heed, I slowly raised my hand, keeping it relaxed and as unthreatening as possible. The augurey noticed it almost immediately and halted in its feeding, watching a bit nervously, but it made no attempt to move away. Feeling rather proud of myself for not intimidating the meek for once, I gently placed my fingertips the feathers just below its neck.

I rather liked the soft, glossy feeling they had to them. It was a lot like silk. Enjoying the feeling, and noticing that the augurey was calming down and returning to its food under my gentle touch, I moved my whole hand onto its shoulder and petted it for a few moments before focusing on every detail I could see.

“Hmm, tha’s interestin.” Professor Hagrid commented as the tingling sensation ran through my hand again. He seemed to be a mix of rather impressed with how calm I could make it, watching as it relaxed more than ever before, and confused with the fact that it had suddenly stopped eating. In the trance, the bird was practically sleeping on his arm. “It appears this guy’s a bit tired.”

“Then perhaps we should let it rest.” I replied calmly, rubbing its feathers a little more as I finished acquiring it. Nodding, Professor Hagrid allowed me to pet the bird a few more times before setting it back on a branch just as it snapped out of it. Professor Hagrid and I only stuck around long enough for him to put the lid back on the jar before walking back to the door and on our way again.

“Worth the trip?” Goldstein asked, getting a nod from me. I was quite happy with the new morph.

We continued through from there, meeting a bend and heading back towards the hut. The paddocks and habitats were closer to the lake and held less trees on this side. The one exception was the tree filled paddock right at the turn. Green creatures were swinging fast through the trees, up and down and all around the large, fence surrounded area. It could only be magic stopping them from swinging into the trees beyond the fence.

“Hey, are those...clabberts?” Goldstein asked curiously, his head flying from one direction to the next as he tried to follow the green blurs.

“Yep. They were brought in during da summer.” Professor Hagrid answered, craning his head back and following them with just his eyes. “Lost a couple of ‘em when those giant centipedes showed up, but the remainin twenty have thrived. Poor things ended up lost in Finchley. Had the Muggles confused, they thought there was a parade comin in town. So, when they were rounded up, Professor McGonagall suggested bringing ‘em here, where they’d be safe and happy away from Muggle eyes and da kids can study ‘em. With the way them aristocrats brought ‘em over back when they were legal pets, there are plenty all over the United Kingdom. Best to know how to approach ‘em.”

“Well, they are rather impressive creatures. And good at their job.” I commented calmly. It was true, in the old days, many Wizarding families, particularly wealthy purebloods, had them imported from North America and bred them. Eating small lizards and birds, they fed themselves for the most part, they were exotic, meaning it was statement to have some, and most importantly, they acted like foe glasses. They had the unique ability to sense when danger was nearby and when they did, the red pustule on their foreheads would glow. Purebloods particularly liked that it warned them of approaching Muggles. Until the Muggles got confused as to why the Wizarding families had Christmas trees out in June.

Again, I felt that this would be a good morph to have. I was going to have many enemies soon, whether or not they knew it. It was always good to be prepared, forewarned. And this time I didn’t have to take one step into the enclosure.

We had been watching their graceful tree swinging for a few minutes when I noticed one on the ground right next to the fence, watching us curiously. The beast was a cross between a monkey and frog with smooth mottle green skin, webbed feet, long arms and short horns on its head. Its teeth were razor sharp, but I could only see them because it was grinning, not bearing them. It reached no higher than my knee while standing bipedal and looked a little pudgy in the torso, but that didn’t stop it from being fast and flexible, as great an acrobat as any breed of monkey.

And just like any monkey, it was an intelligent, curious creature. As I put my hand through the fence to touch it, it met me halfway and shook it. Smirking slightly, I played along for a few seconds before concentrating and sending it into the trance as I absorbed some of it into me.

“They really are unique creatures, aren’t they?” Goldstein mused, crouching down beside me, looking it over. He looked like he was considering touching it, but before he made up his mind, the clabbert had come out of the trance, gotten bored and taken off into the trees with the rest of his kind. “Possessing both amphibian and mammalian similarities isn’t a common sight.”

“The wonders of magic.” I replied, calmly pulling myself back up and heading off. Time was getting short and we still didn’t have what we actually needed today. Unperturbed, Goldstein and the Games Keeper quickly followed me.

The rest of the paddocks held animals much closer to what we needed. Knarls and kneazles were eating the vegetation and lounging in the sun respectively. I knew for a fact that there were more kneazles than I could see, so I wasn’t sure if they actually had a paddock area for themselves. More likely than not, they simply went where they pleased during the day, simply sleeping close by and staying when Professor Hagrid wished it of them.

The nifflers were in full swing in their own area full of dirt piles. Goldstein found them particularly cute and amusing, acquiring one when it jumped out of the ground with a sickle in its mouth right by his feet. It was a good choice for a morph, it could dig quickly through dirt and belonged underground. Though in a place made of stone, I wasn’t sure just how effective it would truly be.

Which is why I went on to the last part of the paddock sectioned off. There, with rather brutal looking gnome deaths, were what looked like oversized ferrets playing with each other. And cussing at each other.

“You idiot!”

“Bloody moron!”

“Why don’t you stick it up your...”

“Ah, we found the jarveys.” Professor Hagrid said, talking over the cussing, which was growing fouler by the minute. “Horrible mouths on those things. You’d never know they are actually bein playful.”

“They’re exactly like ferrets for the most part, aren’t they?” Goldstein asked unsurely, scrunching up his face as the little creatures screamed a few of the worst swear words I knew at each other. “Intelligent, playful, friendly, assuming you ignore the foul mouth?”

“Unless you’re wha they prey upon.” Professor Hagrid nodded, frowning at the bloody gnome bodies. “They are predators an’ they rip their prey apart. Faster than the dirt they burrow through an’ they can dig tunnels almost as fast as a niffler.”

“So if I walk up to them, they’ll let me close?” I asked, staring at them keenly. This was exactly what we needed. An underground creature that, though as big as your average housecat, was small and fast enough to get safely and stealthily through the chambers, would look right at home underground if it was noticed and to top it off, it could speak English. That would be useful to cause some confusion if needed. Its senses were all more than efficient too. I couldn’t think of a better morph.

“They’ll be happy ter say hi. While throwin every insult they know at ya.” The Games Keeper nodded, gesturing me to go ahead. Not wasting another second, I hopped the fence and sauntered my way over, immediately drawing the attention of all seven jarveys.

“Hey loser, what’s with the dress?”

“Dimwit!” I just smirked as the insults went on and continued to approach them, three of them running my way. It only took seconds to meet them, two of them running around my feet and commenting on bad odours while the third ran up my body and wrapped itself around itself around my shoulders. Already touching my neck, I didn’t have to do a thing except concentrate in order to acquire it.

Grinning as the tingling occurred on my neck and the jarvey fell into a trance, I turned back to Goldstein to find him not watching or joining me, surprisingly, but staring up at a tree between fences. Curious, I followed his gaze, but all I could see was a blue speck.

“...and near silent.” I caught as I approached them, the Games Keeper going into a lecture. “They don’t make so as a chirp before they’re abou’ ter die and then they repeat everythin they ever heard in reverse order.”

“They must have quite the memory then.” Goldstein mused, his eyes sharp as they took in features I couldn’t see. Whatever it was that drew their attention was too small for me to see properly even from the fence beside them, but Goldstein seemed to be seeing every detail. Maybe he was looking at its aura, but I doubted it. Goldstein had a knack for seeing what others could not.

“What is it?” I asked as the jarvey came back to life, shouted dipshit in my ear, and took off back to its brethren. I guess I was deemed boring. No matter, I’d gotten what I wanted.

“It’s a jobberknoll.” Goldstein replied, never taking his eyes off the bird. Well, that linked up with the details I heard at the end right. Jobberknolls were tiny birds covered in blue feathers with bright blue speckles and a body comparable to a loggerhead. Their feathers were a major component in truth serums and memory potions due to the bird’s amazing memory magic within its entire body. They were especially soft feathers too, as soft as an owl’s, making its flight as silent as its vocal cords. “I don’t suppose that’s one of yours, Professor? I notice it has an anklet.” Goldstein asked, a determined look setting itself upon his face. He wanted that bird. He wanted to morph it.

“No, they live in the forest. Pretty common a little in, up in the treetops.” The Professor shook his head. Though after seeing the look on Goldstein’s face himself, he chuckled and pulled another container out of his pocket, this one holding a few beetles. “Though they’re use ta people bein around. We get their loose feathers often enough. An’ if tha’ one has an anklet, then it’s bin cared back ta health by me.” He added as he grabbed a toothpick. Bringing it down in three quick jabs, he almost startled me as he pierced right through each beetle’s shell and held the wood splinter out to Goldstein. “Slowly walk to da tree an’ hold this up. It’ll come to ya.”

Taking it carefully, Goldstein placed one foot in front of the other and slowly closed in on the tree, the jobberknoll watching him the whole time, its head tilted curiously. Reaching the trunk, he slid down with his back against it, making himself look as non-threatening as possible and placing the toothpick on a low branch right beside him. The jobberknoll watched him for a few more moments, gauging the safety of moving it and its keenness for the beetles, before giving in and fluttering silently down onto the branch, immediately ripping off pieces of insect and swallowing it. Grinning, Goldstein slowly, but steadily raised a single finger, drawing it full attention onto him, and touched its wing so softly the bird would have barely felt it. His face sharpened a second after contact was made, a sign that he was concentrating on acquiring it. The jobberknoll got over the trance as soon as his finger left it and it flew away with the rest of the bugs on the toothpick in its tiny talons, but Goldstein was grinning from ear to ear the as he moved back to us. He got the morph and a good, close and detailed look over the bird. He was happy.

“So, have you got anything else around here?” He asked, tilting his head up at Professor Hagrid. The man in question started to shake his head before hesitating, a sly grin pulling at his lips.

“Well, there are the Thestrals that live in the forest, though unless you’ve seen someone die, ya won’t see them. Unicorns too, though they’re hard to catch, impossible on a whim, and adults don’t like men. I do have one other beauty a little in though. But ya have ta promise a keep it a secret, it’s a surprise fer me sixth and seventh year classes.”

“I see no harm in staying quiet.” Goldstein replied, nodding quickly. Both of them turned to me next, eliciting a sigh and a nod. We already had the morphs that we needed and knowledge of a lot of variety when the need for morphs occurs again in the future. The purpose of this trip was done. But of course, Goldstein had been drawn too into it and was keen to learn and see all the Professor had to offer. And the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I too grew as we walked further into the trees. A surprise creature brought in for only his highest classes and kept fairly into the Forbidden Forest? Considering who the Professor was, that guaranteed something very unique and probably fairly dangerous. At least as much so as the hippogriffs.

“Yer in fer quite the treat.” Professor Hagrid beamed as we followed a thin, winding path, Goldstein and I barely dodging the branches he sent swinging as he walked. “It’s bin centuries since one was brought to Hogwarts. Took a lot of work for me ta get one.”

“What exactly is it?” Goldstein asked, sounding both a little nervous and excited as he ducked under another flying branch and turned around a large boulder.

“Why ask when ya can see.” Was Professor Hagrid’s jolly reply as he pulled back a large branch with one hand and wave dramatically to the end of the path with the other. Moving through an archway made of branches, we stopped right in front of a clearing surrounded by large rocky hills on all the other three sides and a steel fence running across it that was so magically reinforced that I didn’t need Goldstein’s aura eyes to see the glow. Right across from us, on the opposite side of the clearing, was a large cave, big enough for a grizzly bear and her cubs to sleep comfortably in and protruding out from it was the largest snout I had ever seen, surrounded by a large pair of tusks.

“Is that...is that a TEBO!” Goldstein cried incredulously, taking a few scared steps back. His face quickly paled and he looked ready to run screaming right back to the castle. Not that I blamed him. That beast had me scared too.

“Tha’s right.” The half giant exclaimed proudly, not noticing our unease in the slightest. “Pretty impressive beast, don’ ya think? Able to turn invisible an’ everythin.”

Yes, I had to admit that it was an impressive creature. That’s why Goldstein and I were so unnerved by being so close to one. Just like the Muggle animals, many of the world’s most powerful magical creatures came from the plains of Africa. A tebo is a class four creature, the second highest ranking you could get. Even the powerful, dangerous hippogriff was only a class three. It is the size of a full-grown male lion with curved tusks as long as the average man’s forearm. Its ashen coloured fur covered body is extremely tough, enough so that if you managed to actually kill one of these things, its skin could be used to make armour. And all of this is backed up by an enormous amount of power, invisibility at will and plenty of aggression.

“Um, Professor Hagrid...is that thing actually safe to keep near a school?” Goldstein asked, almost hyperventilating. His wand and advanced runes book were already back in his hands, not that they would do him much good. Tebos were resistant to spells, few would have any real affect, and runes took far too long to determine and set up on a whim. If that pig made it past the rock ledges and warded fence, all we’d be able to do was run until it caught us.

“Oh, it’s fine.” The half giant smiled, waving off all concerns. “It’d be tricky ta hold two or three, but handlin one’s fine. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall themselves insisted on wardin the place an’ Professor Sprout set up some plants round da border that repel a tebo. Ya’d need twice this big guy’s power to break in or outta there. Unless ya me."

“And why would one need to know how to care for such a beast?” I asked coolly, raising an eyebrow. “You cannot keep them as pets and they need no mothering, even when injured. What we use of them is only collectable when they are dead."

“Upper years are also taught how ta handle and survive encounters.” The half giant answered just as coolly. “Da tebo is always studied, many people travellin to Africa have run-ins with ‘em. I thought actually seein such a beast would be a good experience. Better to see what yer up against, specially if it can be invisible.”

“I...guess that makes sense.” Goldstein said unsurely, calming down his breathing a little as the beast did nothing but lay there. Gulping loudly, he took a few hesitant steps toward the fence, all the while looking ready to jump back should the pig so much as twitch. Placing his hands on the bars, he leaned in for a better look. After a few moments, I did the same.

It honestly was an impressive beast. What parts of its body didn’t bear meaty bulk was packed with muscle. It was an omnivore, so it had sharp, impressive teeth. The fur running down its entire torso was rough and thick, especially around its neck, offering a little more protection. Only a handful of creatures on the entire planet would be keen to go against these beasts. Even a few class fives would struggle in a fight against them and may even lose a battle.

A curious, nervous frown crossed Goldstein’s face as we observed it and stuck around for a good few minutes before he rapidly shook his head, deeming the thought unacceptable. He looked a little relieved at the idea of scrapping it. He didn’t need to tell me what he was thinking, I had the same thought, if only for a moment. This thing would make a very dangerous morph. And its invisibility made it a tough stealth morph. It could be of use in the chambers, especially if the need to fight or destroy appeared. But it was too big for this. We were going in blind, unknowing of what defences had been put in place or how much space we’d have. It was too likely to be bumped into or set off a trap or alarm. Besides, a pair of tebo appearing where there should only be one in the nearest thousand miles, outside its carefully guarded clearing and so few people knowing it was there to begin with could get attention drawn to us. If we used it, it would be better if the half giant’s classes had seen and talked about it first.

And besides, the half giant would never let us touch it, we’d have to be creative getting in and I would rather have a few more wands and ready minds handy for when that thing went nuts.

“You’ll have to let me see it again sometime. When it’s awake. And I’ve researched every spell that can hinder it if gets out.” Goldstein said, turning back to the Professor as he checked his watch, though the last sentence was under his breath. “Our free period’s almost over.”

“Oh, yes, wow, look at that time!” The Games Keeper blubbered bemusedly, gaping at his own pocket watch. “I need ta get ready for me class. Come on boys, let’s go.”

Heading back the way we came, I spared one last look at the tebo before making sure to memorize every turn and memorable boulder or tree that we passed. I had a feeling that I’d be coming back soon. The ability to morph and that pig offered me power like nothing any wizard’s ever had before. Even if I wasn’t going to eventually need powerful morphs to fight the Yeerks, we’d be fools to give that opportunity up. Especially with the inevitable battle with the Dark Lord’s forces on the way.

....

After treating the paddocks like a Muggle zoo, my day returned to what passed as completely normal for me. A few of my housemates tried to interrogate me for being seen with Goldstein and the giant oaf, but it was simple enough to convince them I was only interested in advice on rune work, that it was Goldstein who wanted to observe the oaf’s beasts at the same time. They were confused and annoyed that I followed him instead of coming back to him later or demanding he stay in the library, but most of them let it go in the end. I was free to handle things how I chose and if I chose to allow Goldstein to multitask then that was my business.

After classes, I sat down in the Great Hall for a quick dinner, but I left not long after with the intention of taking a nap. Goldstein and I had felt that going into the chambers late into the night, eleven o’clock to be exact, would be the best option. With the curfews all in place by that point, the chambers were likely to be deserted or hold very few people. The less people there, the less likely we were to be caught. It was better for intel if there were people there to discuss their plans, but less people meant less worry of being caught and left us more free to determine the setup of the chambers. Once we had that, we could spy on conversations safely at a later date. So, the only real downside to this was that we had no idea how long we’d be down there or how long it would take to return to beds. It was best to get some sleep now.

However, my plans were put on hold the moment I stepped into the Slytherin Common room and felt a hand on my shoulder. Tensing slightly as a few possibilities crossed my mind, I turned around slowly, subtly reaching for my wand, before relaxing at the sight of Theodore’s troubled face.

“You felt ready to hex me.” He muttered, nodding his head toward the boy’s dorms before heading up, expecting me to follow.

“I could have.” I admitted, falling into step behind him. We were both silent as we headed up the stairs. Reaching our dorm, Theodore scanned the room for any other inhabitants before shutting the door and immediately casting locking and silencing charms. I simply sat on my bed and watched as he worked. It only took a few moments before he put his wand down, satisfied with his work, and surprised me as he turned around. It had been a long time since he let go of all his signs of hiding his feelings and revealed his true emotions. Yet here he was, purposely tucking his hair behind his ears, keeping his face up and looking right at mine with an openly worried frown and his lower lip between his teeth.

“I...I gave Goldstein your message.” He started, fiddling with his wand and visibly struggling not to look away. “I know you weren’t actually talking to him about rune circle construction. There’s no way you would have followed him down to Hagrid’s hut if that’s all you wanted, you would have got what you wanted and left. I know you would have only gone down there and stayed with him if you wanted to. I’m not asking you to tell me exactly what you were doing. I only need to know why.”

“Why what exactly?” I asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

“Why you’re throwing your lot in with them.” He blurted out quickly, before he could stop himself, and tensed, watching my every reaction. “I...I knew that you might help later, if it looked like the Death Eaters could be defeated. I know you don’t want the Dark Lord to rule. I know where you stand with Muggles and Muggleborns. I even know what you did for those DA members, those other kids and the weird, blue centaur in the forest last week. I knew why you helped then, bu-but I don’t know why now.”

He flinched there as I actually jerked up off the bed. He knew? He’d have to have followed them all out to the forest too and even I never noticed. How was that possible? Hmm, I would have to bring this up with Goldstein and Longbottom. He could give these Yeerks almost as much as I could have in the dark and he was a prime target, a ‘neutral’ seventh year Slytherin with a strong connection to the Death Eaters. His father was one of the first Death Eaters and a very high up inner circle member. He could influence some of their actions with no risk of dying if he was used right.

But I’d worry about that conversation after I had spoken with the others. I would just have to ensure Theodore’s safety for now. Unlike with me, this time around there was someone in the know close by to watch his back. It should be alright.

“How did you manage to avoid my notice?” I asked calmly, forcing myself to relax. It would do no good to have him think I was angry and unnerve him even more. Besides, I was genuinely curious. As an observer, I wasn’t quite as good as Goldstein, but it was strange that Theodore of all people slipped my notice. Normally, he would have approached me.

“I...um, I...” He stuttered, looking more unsure and conflicted than before. Taking a few slow, deep breaths, he set his face and closed his eyes. Then, in an instant, his entire form shifted and morphed, clothes and all, into the form of a strong, proud wolf.

“Theodore.” I gasped, not believing my eyes. It took years to learn how to do what he’d just done and he’d never told me that he was even considering it. There was no way he was registered either. Professor McGonagall would have said something, he would have gone to her for lessons. He’d done it in secret, for who knew how long. “You’re an Animagus!”

He stayed in wolf form just long enough to bob his head up and down before shifting back to human, staring fearfully at the floor. “Yeah. Like my form? The lone wolf. Seems about right, huh?” He said quietly, forcing a small grin onto his scared face as he finally forced himself to look at me.

“Lone he may be, but he belongs to a pack. He just has to find it.” I responded calmly before tilting my head curiously. “You never mentioned that you were trying to become an Animagus.”

“I wasn’t sure how thrilled you’d be about me not being registered.” He admitted, calming down, but still looking a bit guilty. “I started studying the theory in the holidays after fourth year. I figured that I might need a way to escape eventually and an unknown talent like Animagi sounded like a good idea. I thought I’d get some small animal like a mouse out of it though.”

“You sell yourself far too short.” I replied, rolling my eyes. “Personally, I think the loyal, caring, but cunning wolf suits you quite well.”

A small, surprised, but pleased smile crossed his face at that, relaxing a bit more. “When I found out what my animal association was...I kind of stopped thinking about running.” He admitted slowly, giving me a look that asked for an opinion. “It’s a good form for running. It can run fast, at full speed all day. But it’s also strong. Stronger than I ever imagined it would be. I...I could help in this form. I could help without people ever knowing it’s me. The advantage of being unregistered. No one would ever think it was me.”

“Hiding who you are while fighting in plain sight. Clever, cunning.” I nodded, amused by the irony of it. This was exactly what I was planning to do with these Yeerks. He simply made it possible the natural way. “I would bet this idea has come from the breakout of Azkaban.”

“Yes.” Theodore nodded, looking pleased that I hadn’t shot it down.

“Then just be careful. Wolf fur was recognised at that siege. Don’t give them reason to think it was you.” I cautioned, a little worried. Goldstein wasn’t using the wolverine morph right now for the same reason. The animals at the prison were being looked for. Not all were known, but just how many were was yet to be revealed.

“Right, of course.” Theodore nodded, getting a little down at that, though not really upset. More like he was working on planning around that problem. Something I was more than sure that he could handle. Though the look disappeared a few moments later. Looking right at me again, he gave me a much more determined look than before, his confidence strengthening along with his resolve. “I’ve answered your question. Now you answer mine. Why are you getting involved?”

“Because I couldn’t stand it any longer.” I answered, steeling my face and my voice. “The level of freedom within the castle alone is diminishing by the day. The punishments are far to dramatic and barbaric for even the simplest of faults. At the rate this is going, anyone who isn’t kissing the Dark Lord’s backside is going to be no more than a slave, treated like dirt and either stomped over or slaughtered. Even many pureblood children are being treated inhumanely. Goldstein has told me that a number of the castle’s population is even having their minds taken over, controlled by others. That’s far too much, to being using such curses on us is despicable! I can’t just stand by and watch this happen anymore. So, I have chosen to help. Though, that being said, next to no one will even know that I was involved. No Slytherin, teacher or Death Eater will ever know. Not even many members of the DA will know about my allegiance if I have anything to say about it! Only Goldstein and the others that were in the forest that night. I will not put myself in that kind of risk in my own House and I am better suited to spy on those who aid the Death Eaters if they do not suspect I am doing it.”

Theodore was completely silent through my whole speech, taking ever single word in. He seemed a little surprised by my intensity and the duration of my speech, but that was natural, I was not a long winded or passionate speaker most of the time. His face grew harder as I spoke, no doubt mulling over every word, even after I had finished talking, deciding what to make of it and how to respond. It didn’t take him long. Taking in a deep breath, a slight hesitance crossed his face once more, but he tossed it aside and steeled his resolve. He’d made a big decision, bigger than I’d ever seen him make, I could tell just from the force of his look, and he intended go through with it.

“I’ll help you.” He stated, almost challenging me to deny him. “Whatever I can do without the others finding out, I will do it. I’ll help in any way I can. We’ll be spies and saboteurs together. Two can do more than one alone.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, showing a genuinely concerned frown. “If things go bad for me, the protection of my home and family is still in place. If they discover you...”

“I don’t care.” He shook his head, suddenly growing fierce. “The truth is, I’ve been desperate to help since fifth year. I’ve just been too much of a coward to do it. Well, I’m not being self-serving anymore. If I get caught and disowned, I’m smart and skilled, I can make a living for myself as a potioneer. If my dad tries to kill me or torture me, I can fight and run. No one knows that I can turn into a wolf at will, I can use that to my advantage, along with plenty of spells to fight back. I’m backing up my friend and I’m doing what I should and have wanted to do for years. No more hiding away.”

“...Thank you.” There was nothing I could do to prevent a big, grateful smile from growing on my face and it only grew as Theodore smiled back and nodded. It was very rare that I said those words, Theodore knew just how big it was for me to say them. He had finally made the decision to outright betray his family and all that risked. And as much of it was coming from his kind, just nature, it was coming just as much from his loyalty and care for me. Even with the new wolf shape, he would never have gotten involved anytime soon. He was too afraid before. Now, he was forcing it all aside to ensure my safety. I could never be more grateful to him.


	10. Anthony

I didn’t even bother telling Terry I was staying out again tonight. I spent a bit of time resting in a chair before it was time for my patrols, simply lounging back into a couch near the fire while pretending I couldn’t hear Michael and Terry debating who was going to go out searching for vandals tonight and Padma and Lisa trying to talk them out of it. Not that they weren’t expressing a desire to do the same thing. Padma just might.

At that point, there was nothing I could do to stop them, so I just sat back, grateful they weren’t bringing me into it. I know I gave that speech about not doing anything stupid before, but this changed things, to the point that I doubted Neville would stop them anyway. Most of the DA members were talking about taking turns patrolling the hallways after curfew. So instead of trying to stop the inevitable, Padma, Hannah and I simply went around reminding everyone that if they patrol, to stay out of sight and make sure no one ever knew they were there. Simply put out any fires they found and report the vandals anonymously tomorrow. If they were just watching, any consequence would be small, at least in comparison to what it could be, and only be directed at the ones caught, not everyone.

My Prefect rounds did show a lot more students and teachers walking the area, all of them looking pretty firm and serious, but other than that, it was pretty normal and at the end of it, I was able to slip into a small room unseen and change clothes. I’d have to lose them when I morphed, so I thought it would be easier to hide a pair of shoes, trousers, and a black, long sleeved hooded shirt than my bulky school robes.

Reading a Muggle novel to pass the time, I settled onto a soft chair and waited out the clock until it was ten thirty then headed off to meet near the Transfiguration classroom. Finding Blaise already there, he gave me a quick nod before pulling out his wand and quickly casting disillusionment spells on us. The spell made staying close to each other a challenge, especially in the dark where the ripples of a moving body hid in the shadows, but that was hardly an issue considering we both knew where we were going.

The journey, as expected, proved to be a slow process. With so many floors connected to the main stairway, teachers, a number of DA, even a few other students, frequently appeared on or around it, searching for anything suspicious. I was even surprised to find Parvati and Brown snooping around, quickly fleeing down toward the charms corridor as a Death Eater stalked through the hallways irritably.

Reaching the third floor ourselves, Blaise grabbed my arm and pulled me close right as Professor Sinistra stalked right past where I’d stood only moments before. Counting myself lucky, I almost didn’t realise where she’d just come from.

“I think we found another possessed teacher.” Blaise whispered softly once she was a good thirty feet away. I just squeezed his arm in response, not trusting my voice to quiet enough in the echoing, empty stairway. Professor Sinistra had come strutting right out from the hallway leading right to the forbidden corridor.

We waited there for a minute more, making sure no one else was too close, before pressing on down the hallway. Turning into the next corridor at the end, I bumped into Blaise as he stopped right in his tracks. It only took a second to see why.

A torch was blazing right next to the usually locked doorway, the door wide open. The torch was small, but its light still made our rippling outlines much more noticeable. And they revealed a rather well used trail in the dust. It looks like Blaise’s hunch was right on the galleon.

“Our cloak isn’t going to last much longer.” Blaise whispered again. “It will give out before we finish transforming.”

I understood what he was saying just fine. We’d reached the most dangerous point of our little adventure. The chambers were clearly in use at the moment, Sinistra had come from this direction, the torch was burning and the door was open. The last two would not still be the case if the Yeerks were done with it for the night. If someone walked by while we were morphing, that was it.

Taking look around, I took a few slow breaths, forcing myself to stay calm. It was hard though. This was the second time I was heading into Yeerk territory and I still got nightmares from the last one. Again, there were only two of us going in and if we were caught at this moment, in midmorph, when we were defenceless...

‘Stop over thinking it and get the job done!’ Letting out a quiet sigh, I nodded, forcing myself to follow the order. It was all I could do. Anything else would only cause a panic attack and we didn’t need one of them right now.

Zeroing in on an old statue of to the side, I grabbed Blaise’s arm and guided him over, inspecting it and everything around it as we got closer. It was a large statue, depicting a long forgotten man waving his wand in one hand and a shield in the other. The light of the torch was touching the shield, but the rest of it was cast in darkness and close inspection showed that the dusty floor around it hadn’t been touched. Walking behind it, I noticed it had just enough space between it and the wall for a person to stand and nodded. This was the best cover we were going to get here.

Blaise must have agreed for the rustling of fabric heralded the appearance of his more defined, shadowy, bare torso. The disillusionment spell was cast on both us and our clothes, so as his clothes were separated from him, the spell’s effect faded.

Thanking the dark for hiding me, I forced all modesty aside and followed suit. I couldn’t afford to get trapped inside my clothes again, it would waste too much time. Turning my back shyly toward Blaise as I took off my pants and put them in my pile, I quickly started focusing on the jobberknoll.

My whole body itched as feathers started sprouting all over me. My fingers fused together into wing tips while my arms rounded. My body quickly set to work shrinking after that, forcing me to remove my underwear, and my head took on a more oval shape as my lips hardened and stretched out into a beak.

I felt soft fur rub against my back as Blaise fell against the statue, the cracking of his bones and bubbling of his organs growing louder and louder very quickly in my increased hearing. I was a little worried about our close proximity for a moment. I knew that he was morphing the jarvey, which was noticeably bigger than a jobberknoll. If he fell the wrong way while our bodies were reshaping, he could injure me pretty badly. That was all I had to worry about though. We had discussed practicing with the morphs for tonight between our afternoon classes, I was confident that he could control the playful predator.

Most of my changes were finishing up as I reached the average jobberknoll size. My bones were still grinding against themselves as they hollowed out, but my organs had done shifting and only my legs needed to finish changing externally. Muscles sank away until they were thin and stick-like and the skin hardened. My toes were sucked back into my tiny feet, causing me to flop onto my belly as four new ones, complete with tiny talons, took their place, three at the front and one from the back per foot.

The instincts didn’t take long to surface, but like I said, I knew what to expect and had no problem controlling them. They were kind of similar to my own anyway, keen to observe, curious of everything around me. And never forgetting even the smallest of details they noticed by touch, sight or sound. A perfect, everlasting memory.

/You chose to use the jobberknoll?/ Blaise asked, staring down at me calmly from where he sat. Like I thought, he had perfect control. /I expected the niffler to be your choice./

/Originally, it was./ I confirmed, shuffling my feathers into place. /But I thought the jobberknoll was the better way to go. The niffler would be slowed down if it had to dig through stone chambers designed to last. It would go nuts too if there’s metal or jewels down there./ I added, getting a look that I assumed was understanding and acceptance. I didn’t really know how to read a jarvey’s face, even with Blaise in control. /Besides, jobberknolls are fast, silent, have amazing memory and an aerial view. I’ll be able to pick up a lot of details like this. And in the unlikely event they actually look up high enough to see me, they’ll probably think I’m just one of those flying keys that were said to be in the second chamber that was left behind./

/I’m not suggesting a wrong choice./ Blaise said calmly, crawling out from behind the statue and looking out for Controllers. /Simply commenting on my surprise. Now, let us go, the area is clear./

Keen to get this over with, it barely took me a second after to spread my wings and take flight. I only had time to ensure I could control the instincts and demorph again between classes, so the thrill of flying on my own wings...was an unexpected, absolutely amazing thrill. The situation be damned, I loved this. The simple tweak of a few feathers and the flapping of my wings took me up and down with great speed and easy control. The jobberknoll wasn’t scared in the slightest, its instincts easily guiding my actions as I swooped, glided and looped around every statue and torch bracket we passed on our way to the door. Circling the room a few times as Blaise caught up, simply for the thrill of it more than impatience, I brought myself into a tight spiral and dropped down the hole in the ground. I wanted to dive, but it was too dark. I’d hit the ground before I knew to pull up.

/You should have let me go first./ Blaise commented, with that tone that usually came with a scolding raised eyebrow, as he jumped in after me. /My eyes and nose could have been used to alert you to risks in the chamber./

/I know, it’s just...I never thought flying could feel so...blissful./ I called back, not quite managing to pull anything remotely sheepish or apologetic. I did however, slow my descent and come to a landing on a rocky ledge and waited as he quickly scaled the wall. Blaise’s claws were perfectly designed for finding grooves and dents in the rough stone. He moved in leaps and bounds, never slowing down, and made it to me in no time. /So, what do you see in here?/ I asked staring curiously into the darkness below us.

/A few more rock ledges and bridges appearing randomly. A large ledge coming out from the walls circling the entire chamber. A few stairs magically drawn out from the wall, probably done by the chamber’s new users. And a walkway below./ He answered emotionlessly. /I assume this is where the Devil’s Snare used reside. It does not appear to have been altered./

/That’s weird. I would have thought they’d put some kind of protective spells over the area./ I said, more than a little confused. The Yeerks couldn’t let themselves be discovered and no matter what they did to the portraits or anything else in the castle, people would notice this area being used sooner or later. This is where their secret begins, why wouldn’t they have it protected?

/There probably is./ Blaise answered calmly. /We chose animal transformations because of their benefits, remember? If they are hiding something so unusual that it would draw attention, then the first set of spells would simply be to discourage people from progressing further. Such spells would generally only effect humans. Besides, it would be tricky for the average student to climb back out the trapdoor without worrying about setting off a trap or unfriendly ward./

Hmm, I never thought of that. It made sense. Even if people got curious of the area and managed to connect it to the trapdoor, the darkness and terrain in here would discourage most people. Distraction and repellent spells would be the best choice. Why prove you have something to hide if you can simply make people go away?

Not saying any more, Blaise took off down to the bottom, leaving me to follow much more carefully than I had before. There were a lot hidden crannies and randomly poking out stones around the place, flying recklessly would only result in slamming into one. Fortunately, Blaise warned me when I got too close to one, my eyes weren’t good in the dark.

However, sight ceased to be a problem as we made it all the way down. Moving quickly down the passage, light almost immediately struck our eyes through the open door. No longer at risk of smacking a wall I didn’t see, I happily flew as fast as I could and shot right through the doorway.

It took my eyes a moment to readjust to the significantly brighter chamber, but I simply flew up while I waited. People moved below me, but not one person seemed to notice or care about the twenty centimetre, blue projectile heading towards the ceiling. Not that I had to go that far in the amazingly huge chamber. The room had a giant stone pillar in the middle that branched out to make parallel beams like catwalks towards every side of the room, giving me the perfect place to rest and observe everything below.

And what I saw almost stopped me cold. I was ready for spells, wards, Controllers, pretty much anything associated with the Wizarding world to be down there. However, I never thought that I’d see Hork-Bajir.

/Blaise, about twenty feet past the door to the right, there’s a pile of rubble. Get to it fast./ I called hastily, trying to stop my panic. I got no vocal response from my partner, but he did exactly as told. With my altitude and eyes, it was easy to watch a jarvey slink in low to the ground and make a beeline for the rocky cover.

He didn’t stay silent for long though, once safely in behind cover, he took a proper look around and almost froze at the sight before him. It reminded me a great deal of the first time I saw these creatures. /What are they?/

/Hork-Bajir./ I answered immediately, falling right into my nervous babbling. /They’re the race of aliens I told you about being completely taken over by the Yeerks. They’re naturally peaceful creatures, but their blades and durable bodies make them ferocious shock troopers with a Yeerk in their heads. They’re eyesight’s not too great, but they have great hearing. They’re vegetarian, their food source is bark./ What were they doing there? The last time I saw them, besides at Azkaban briefly, where the Dementors took care of them for us, was in the Chamber of Secrets. A very large pile of bark in the corner suggested that they were there for a long stay. This wasn’t good, we had no experience fighting these guys. Their resistance to magic still wasn’t determined, but they were strong, fast, lethal and under the control of very cruel masters. Without our wands, getting anywhere near them was potentially disastrous.

/They are definitely...unusual./ Blaise admitted slow and sceptically, moving slowly through the rockier edges of the room. /Do you see any other signs of protection?/

/Um...yes./ I confirmed shakily, losing a little of my confidence as I looked around. /Hug the wall as much as you can. There are signs of sinkholes in the ground and Muggle rope traps closer to the pillar./

/What else?/ Was his only response as he stopped right where he was, burrowing into the looser stone as a Hork-Bajir moved a little too close to him for comfort.

He knew that wasn’t enough to unnerve me. No, what really worried me was the on the walls. They were done in shades of brown, camouflaged against the walls, but each one held a rune as big as I was tall. The amount of power such huge runes could each hold was incredible, more than I had in my whole body. They were all various types of constraining runes, connected to much smaller runes that directed their power to humans, saving the Hork-Bajir from their touch, probably due to there being no rune for them yet, and preventing them from touching anyone connected to a slug. I guess Yeerks were close enough that the rune worked.

/If you were to return to human form here, how would you prefer to be captured? Tide up, paralysed or stuck in an invisible box?/ I asked, forcefully flapping my wings and taking off to another parallel, stone beam, ensuring that I was still free. /There are absolutely huge runes hidden on the walls./

/That would be annoying./ Blaise stated as he took off again, quickly making it to the next door. He didn’t sound any more thrilled about that than I was. /It is best we don’t stick around too long then. Returning to our normal forms just became an even bigger risk./

/You’re not kidding./ I muttered as he reached the door and went through. Letting go of the stone, I made sure no one was paying attention and swooped down through the next opening myself.

I have to admit, I almost went fanboy, as the Muggles put it, as I made it through to the next chamber. While the first two had been cleared out of their old contents, the amazing feats of Transfiguration Professor McGonagall had put into place were standing right in front of me.

The chessboard was almost completely untouched. Though rubble of fallen pieces and weapons surrounded it, the board contained a full set of white and black pieces, all of them larger than life. They were scattered randomly around the board, their well polished stone bodies and weapons gleaming in the light of the fires surrounding the room.

/This is so amazing!/ I cried gleefully, fluttering right down onto a rook and taking a closer look at it. /There’s not a single crack or flaw in the stone. Professor McGonagall enchanted them to be almost indestructible, damaged only by weapons like the ones they hold and more strength than a man can muster. I wonder what type of stone this is, it almost looks metamorphic! To think they protected the door to the next chamber, man you’d be dead if you weren’t a chess prodigy./

/Goldstein, snap out of it. This isn’t exactly a good thing at the moment./ Blaise interrupted, bringing me back to reality. He was right. This room didn’t look like it had been altered at all, not even with any runes. That was probably because there was no need for anything new. Back when the chamber was first put in use to guard the stone, Professor McGonagall and the other teachers probably ensured that going through the rubble was fatal. The pieces would have attacked anyone who tried to reach the door without winning the game. With Professors Slughorn, Sinistra and who knew else under their control, it would be easy for the Yeerks to alter the spells to attack those who shouldn’t be here.

/Yeah, you’re right./ I agreed a little sadly. I couldn’t help it. If the Dark Lord was defeated by Potter, this place would one day be legendary. The Golden Trio’s first conquest and Potter’s second victory against the Dark Lord. What will one day be one of the greatest moments of our time. And the magic needed to create such a place, to make the pieces such spectacular guards, it was all nothing short of amazing. The mark of a true transfiguration and charms master. How could I not get excited over being here, seeing this with my own eyes? And now that awful feeling was growing inside me. We may have to destroy these pieces of our history.

We were fortunate that, like before, the chess pieces weren’t interested in us. They no doubt would be if we were around the size of humans, but they’d never even notice creatures no bigger than large housecat. With no sink traps or rope snares to have to guide him around, Blaise had no problem running down to the far side of the board, weaving and zigzagging effortlessly around the chess pieces. Reaching the steps on the other side, he bounced right up them as I flew straight overhead into the next room.

/I believe we have found the chamber that held the mountain troll./ Blaise commented dryly, a clear note of distaste in his voice. Once again, this chamber held no other living things, but the smell of this chamber’s original occupant could very well be the reason for that. It had been over half a decade since the troll was removed after its year long stay, but the place still smelt absolutely dreadful. I was fortunate that most avian creatures don’t rely on the sense of smell much, but Blaise was shaking his head almost constantly, rubbing his nose against the dirt only to shudder even more. /You would think they’d freshen the air in here. How can they handle this smell?/ He cried exasperatedly, startling me before throwing caution to the wind and running right across the room.

/They probably don’t./ I said, flapping hard to get some altitude. My wings were starting to hurt now, flying so much with no breezes or thermals to help meant that I had to fight for every bit of lift I got and the jobberknoll wasn’t a power flapper. Still, even I was really put off by the smell and hoped to escape the intensity of it higher up. Unfortunately for me, it was just as foul smelling in the air as it was on the ground.

The only bright side was that there wasn’t anything for Blaise to be trapped by. While he ran, I looked around at every detail of the chamber, right down to the cracks and imprints bludgeoned into the walls. There wasn’t one sign of alteration, jinxes or curses. Unless there were wards set up around the area, I was confident that the only thing put in place was the runes surrounding the next chamber door and they weren’t all that dangerous. They merely blocked access to all humans who didn’t have a physical connection leading to a slug. They probably felt assured that the smell alone would knock out anyone who came in here unprepared. Blaise look ready to fall unconscious, that was for sure.

I have to admit, the next chamber surprised me a little. If the stories were accurate, this room once housed Snape’s potions and logic challenge. The room was again mostly untouched, even the table was still in the middle of the room. What surprised me as I landed underneath it at about the same time Blaise dashed under was that the only runes I saw were on the doorway we just came through and they simply blocked the exit to anyone not touching a slug. The others had been designed to keep people out, but this room must have been warded to keep people in. It made me wonder what kinds of spells were placed inside it.

/These people appear to be waiting for something./ Blaise mused, shrinking further into the shadow of the table as both people and Hork-Bajir shifted around it. This was only the second room we’d found actual living things in and there were a lot more than the second chamber, but strangely enough, none of them were talking. They came here for privacy, right? So now that they had it, why weren’t they taking advantage of it?

/And it appears that we will have to wait along with them./ He sighed as he turned to the direction of the next door only to find five pairs of feet between it and us. In this flat, rubble free and almost sterile chamber, we’d never make it through the door unnoticed and while I could have been written off as a lingering flying key before and a jarvey would almost be expected in the other chambers, there was no way either would be looked over in the last chamber. The new tunnel to the Yeerk Pool had to be in there, they would be sure to keep this one under particularly good surveillance.

/It’s ok, we still have time./ I replied calmly, moving myself close to his paws. If someone noticed us, it would look a lot less suspicious if the bird underground was dragged in by the predator. /We’ve only been morphed for about half an hour and no one’s been watching the door, they didn’t see us come in. We’re fine, for now./

/True. But our arrival to this chamber remaining unnoticed was only by luck./ Blaise replied moodily, his body tensing enough to scare the jobberknoll mind. /Going further or back from here will be very risky./

/We’ll just have to wait for an opening./ I stated, mentally flinching at pointing out such an obvious fact to a man of cunning. /And...maybe we shouldn’t go into the next chamber. Maybe we should just poke our heads in./

/A wise move. If what these slaves are waiting for arrives in time./ Blaise agreed. /If it doesn’t, the we shall have to simply leave and hope we are not noticed. I refuse to be trapped in this form, regardless of its...rather amusing abilities./ If I was human at the time, I would have smiled at that. Blaise admitted to liking the form. And by the way he hesitated, I’d say he was enjoying the feeling of a less stoic mind too. The jarvey was after all, very similar in personality to a ferret.

Though the wait was a bit dull, especially considering the amount of adventure and adrenaline that we’d experienced only moments before, but it only lasted about ten minutes. Unfortunately what they were waiting for was nothing good and it was the kind of thing you hear before you see.

“Let us GO!”

“You heard her FREAK! GE...please, no, keep that away.” My blood ran cold as two familiar female voices echoed through the area.

“How can you do this!”

“Oh, you’ll find out shortly, I assure you.”

/That was Slughorn./ Blaise stated sharply, lowering himself flat against the ground for a better look up. Copying his actions, I got low on my belly just in time to see a pair of Hork-Bajir stride in with Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown caught firmly in their grip, a wrist blade aimed threateningly right at Brown’s throat.

“This is the price you get for trying to stop our work.” Slughorn sneered as followed them in, everyone else in the room immediately snapping to attention. “Searching for the arsonists after hours. Congratulations, your reward for your service to the school is to be accepted into our ranks early.”

“Accept this!” Parvati snapped, quickly raising her foot. I had half a second to grow startled at the sight of the heel of her shoe being covered in small, sharp spikes before she stomped it down on her captor’s foot as hard as she cold.

“GRRAAAHH!” Unprepared, the Hork-Bajir’s whole body jerked and its grip on her loosened, enough so that Parvati managed to rip herself from its grasp with ease, all the while digging into her robes for her wand. However, just as the last tip of his claw parted with her sleeve, ropes exploded from the ground beneath her feet.

“AAHHH!” Like snakes, they lurched up and coiled around her, constricting her arms to her sides. With her legs bound too, it only took a second for her to lose her balance and fall.

“Warriors of the DA.” Slughorn shook his head as he approached her, smirking as he rolled her onto her back with his foot. “Persistent little fighters, the lot of you. And I see you updated your uniform, clever. But it’s all for nothing down here, I’m afraid.”

/I knew there would be more than runes down here./ Blaise said, far too calmly considering the circumstances. /Runes are most effective because so few study them, they are harder to detect without seeing the symbols and require no wand, but spells have their own advantages. Without detection spells we can’t use without wands, we would never know they’re there./

/What do we do?/ I asked, panic stricken. /We can’t just let them be-/

/We can’t do anything./ Blaise cut me off, calmly, but unyieldingly firm. /We’re too small and weak to fight as we are and changing back to human would only get us caught and bound too, even if they didn’t notice the ridiculously long transition between shapes. Besides, saving them would expose the fact that we know of them and you said it yourself. They cannot know that there are people aware of and fighting them yet./

I hated this! Dammit all, he was bloody right! On every damn account! I could only watch as another Controller grabbed picked Parvati off the ground and followed Slughorn through the door into the last chamber, the others all quickly falling into step behind them.

I didn’t even wait for Blaise, the second the last Controller had stepped through the threshold, my wings were out and I threw myself into a running start, flying low to the ground after them. The last chamber was much more brightly lit than the previous ones, the stone walls looking golden. The place looked a little like an amphitheatre. Solid, perfectly sculpted stairs spread from one wall to the other from the door’s side of the room, the three spreading right around to meet the corners of the far wall. Hearty fires blazed in long, stone guarded pits along the far wall. A few pillars stood opposite them, providing all the cover I was going to get from where I was, so I landed beside the one closest to me and watched and listened intently. If I couldn’t stop this, then I was going to gain every piece of information this offered me.

The Yeerks had added a number of chairs to the chamber, some of them on the stairs, but most were situated just below the last step. In the centre of the room, where the markings on the ground suggested that the Mirror of Erised once resided, as opposed to its new place against the wall, was a podium holding a very large basin. And right between it and the fires were ten more chairs. However, unlike the others, these chairs were the kind that the Wizengamot used for trials. Complete with chains to hold down the accused. And that was exactly where Patil and Brown were placed.

“AAHH!” Brown screamed as her arms were forced into place and the chains came to life, binding them tightly to the arm rests. With her body already bound, Patil’s chair did nothing, but with a wave of his wand, a Controller had her ropes extend and wrap around the back of her seat, holding her firmly in place.

/Moving hasty will only cause more strife./ Blaise scolded me as he crept in, keeping his body low to the ground and deliberately picking up dust, dampening the colour of his fur to better match the room. /It’s already bad enough that your bright shades of blue stand out like fireworks in here, you can’t be reckless. Look where it’s gotten them!/

/I know!/ I snapped, a lot fiercer than I ever thought I could. Blaise actually jerked sporadically as he stopped beside me. /I know I’m being reckless! I know I’m not thinking things through. I know I’m acting like them. But I can’t help it right now. I’m failing at my job. Twice over in one event!/

Blaise had no response to that. He didn’t really understand what I meant by that. But it was the truth. Ever since the DA reformed, it had been my job to heal, undo and prevent harm. And since I joined Seamus on the trip to the Taxxons, I’d become responsible for protecting others, especially from the Yeerks. That was why I was made aware of what was going on, that was why I was made an Animorph. And here, in this one act of doing nothing for two Gryffindor girls who’d backed me up in the last DA meeting, I was failing both duties. I wasn’t even trying to save them.

“You know, I wasn’t expecting to have any upper class Gryffindors joining us for a while yet.” Slughorn grinned smugly as he took a seat on a particularly large, cushioned seat, staring over each of the girls. “Especially not Gryffindor members of that little rebel group, the DA. You represent exactly the kind of people that we felt it best to avoid right now. Far too keen to get in on the fight that is to come and on the front lines at that. We’d still have to have you there, and doing everything defiant to keep up appearances. We’re not keen to lose too many of our own to this war of ‘darkness and light wizards’. Still, if you survive, you will make great fighters for us. And as senior members, great spies for us within the DA too.” He added as his grin turned into a gruesome smirk.

“Not a chance in hell!” Patil spat, staring maliciously right at Slughorn, ignoring those around her completely as Brown whimpered at the sight of them. “I don’t know what’s happened to you or who’s sided you’re on, but we’ll never help you in a million years!”

“You aren’t going to have a choice.” Slughorn sneered back with a commanding nod. Instantly, a pair of Controllers, Death Eaters, grabbed the girls’ heads and forced them to tilt to the side while a young Slytherin student, I’d say no older than thirteen, placed his hands into the basin.

What he pulled out almost made me puke in disgust and guilt. My eyes were terrific, so even from a distance and low on the ground, I could clearly see two overly large, dominantly green and grey slugs writhing in his palms. Yeerks. Just like the ones I saw in the Chamber of Secrets last week. However, this time instead of leaving the newly screaming hosts, a Controller was smirking darkly as he brought them to their new hosts.

/Is that-/

/Yeerks. The creatures controlling these people./ I confirmed, noting in the back of my mind just how shaky Blaise’s voice sounded, but almost completely disregarding it in favour of watching something I never wanted to see.

“Ew, ew, ew, keep that away from me!” Brown squealed, starting to struggle more erratically, clenching her eyes in panic and disgust. Parvati clenched her teeth and tried to jerk her head free, but with her bindings that was all she could try and the Death Eater holding her head wouldn’t give an inch, chuckling sinisterly the whole time.

“Miss Patil, Miss Brown, allow me to introduce you to your new associates.” Slughorn smirked, rising from his seat. “Get used to their company. You’re going to be spending a long time with them. Possibly the rest of your lives.”

“I am not running around anywhere with a filthy, slimy slug on my shoulder like some weirdo!” Brown screamed, showing her first sign of her House’s well-established defiance. However, even her intensified struggles were completely in vain and the Controllers around her only laughed in response.

“Oh don’t worry my dear, she doesn’t want to be seen.” Slughorn responded, smiling darkly as the kid reached the girls. “She can’t control you from there. For you to be her puppet, she has to go inside your head.” Right at that moment, the boy placed his hands right onto the girls’ ears and the Yeerks slithered right into their ear holes.

“AAAHHH” I would be haunted for the rest of my life by this particular memory. The day I stood by helplessly as two of my allies, my friend’s twin sister being one of them, filled the entire chamber with panicked, and then painful, screams. Jake told us that the first time a Yeerk enters your head, it’s painful. The pain is dulled by a secretion the Yeerks unconsciously give off and most times the host is left dreamy until the Yeerk takes control, but the first time the Yeerk has to burrow through bone. Fear, panic and pain was etched all over both girls’ faces even as their screams died. It took a few moments before they dulled into dazed expressions and relaxed, giving the perfect illusion of a drugging.

The illusion was broken a moment after it began as awareness returned to both pairs of eyes. Only unlike before, there wasn’t the slightest hint of defiance, fear, disgust or anger. Instead, they looked and smirked as evilly as those around them. And with a wave of Slughorn’s wand, both of them were released from their restraints only to rise and bow to him.

“We thank you for the hosts, Sub Visser.” Brown said smoothly as they straightened themselves up. “I’m sure that they will prove...useful to us.” She added keenly, already fingering her wand. The Yeerk was no doubt currently going through the list of spells Brown could perform.

“They may already.” Patil’s Yeerk commented, a troubled frown quickly growing over her face. “Sub Visser, my host’s memories have revealed something that may make things...difficult for us.”

“Oh?” Slughorn raised an eyebrow, his smile declining into a frown.

“The leaders of the DA, they’re suspicious of us and warned the rest of their group.” Patil continued, effectively placing scowls on every Controller’s face and making my heart skip a beat. “Right before they were imprisoned in the dungeons, they warned everyone at a meeting that it appeared that people were being controlled. However, they believe that those controlling them are the Death Eaters. Some of our people have been marked as under their spell.”

“I see.” Slughorn muttered, rubbing his chin.

“And there’s been a rumour circulating the DA members recently.” Brown added quickly, forcing me to resist the urge to ram my head against the pillar. “I don’t know who started it, but it confirms your host as one of the people being controlled. Sir, it’s likely that you’re being watched.”

“Dammit, that is a problem!” Slughorn exclaimed, clenching his fists. For a moment, I thought that he was going to have a fit, but he simply took a few deep breaths and calmed the colour of his face. After that, his words were still irritated, but they did come out more or less calmly. “Still, it could be much worse. Perhaps the belief of Death Eater involvement can be used to our advantage. I will ponder it. But still, with you two now posing as moles in their organisation and our other unknown agents placed both in all of the other three Houses and every year group, we should be able to work around this unexpected circumstance. Now, onto more important business!” He declared with a clap of his hands, turning to the rest of the group. “The area around the trapdoor’s corridor is portrait free and the protection within the chambers is complete. How long until this tunnel to the Yeerk Pool is completed?”

“The Taxxons will reach the chamber wall within two days.” A Death Eater Controller answered immediately, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “The passage will be completely reinforced within four, sir.”

“Excellent.” Slughorn nodded, his evil smile growing across his face again. “Once this tunnel’s complete, maintaining and expanding our numbers will be much quicker, simpler and safer. Innis 513, Temran 479, have every Controller in your hosts’ circles study architectural spells. I want an easier access to here from the floors above and below the third corridor. If we can find a way to avoid the main stairwell, we will be much better off.”

“Yes sir!” The Death Eater and third year boy cried simultaneously, their forms stiffening straight, like Muggle soldiers.

“Speaking of increasing our numbers...” Patil started slowly, slightly cautious as Slughorn turned her way, but relaxing as he motioned for her to go on. “Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein are also out looking for the people attacking portraits. I don’t know where Goldstein is, but Boot was nearby when our hosts were caught. He’s likely to be on the second floor. He also happens to be one of the smartest and most respected members of the DA outside of the leaders and not nearly as likely to throw himself onto the frontlines. He focuses mostly on researching and unseen jobs.”

“Making him very useful for us in our bid to steer the DA where we want them.” The keen, creepy smile on Slughorn’s face sent shivers down my spine, but even so, I barely even noticed them. All my internal attention had been drawn to my blood turning ice cold. “If that’s so, then by all means, take advantage of this opportunity.”

“Yes sir!” Patil and Brown nodded immediately, quickly making their way to the door. As they passed by, Blaise felt the need to actually place his paw on my back. In retrospect, it was a good idea. If he didn’t hold me down, I probably would have taken to pecking and scratching whatever exposed skin I could find.

“Be sure to have this chamber finished on time.” Slughorn ordered as he too took his leave. “I want us ready to move on the next target within the week. Why we didn’t go for them first I’ll never understand.” He muttered irritably under his breath as the other Controllers nodded. “It’s not like they’re gonna fight at all and their powers would make trips to the Yeerk Pool so easy that we wouldn’t need any more tunnels. Visser Three has no understanding or creativity, how he got so far up the scale, I’ll never know.”

He kept muttering to himself as he disappeared, but I didn’t pay any more attention. I was too busy impatiently waiting for Blaise to let me go.

/We’ve gotten all we’re going to get here./ I cried, struggling against him. However, he merely added another paw and pressed me between him and the pillar. /There’s no point staying here, let me go. I’ve got to save Terry! I won’t let them have him too, no way, not my best friend!/

/We will go, as soon as no one is looking at the doorway and you have calmed down./ Blaise responded stoically, not giving an inch. /We cannot act rashly, especially now. We have to get back out without being seen. And if you want to save Boot, then we have to do it right, in a way that wouldn’t suggest that we know what they’re trying to do. You have to be willing to think things through, Goldstein./

/I know! But if we don’t start heading back, it’ll be too late to help him without making him a permanent target./ I exclaimed desperately, though I stopped struggling. The oversized ferret had more strength than I could possibly handle and if I squirmed much in this hold, he might accidently pierce me with his claws. /Our trip back will be slower than theirs and we’ll need time to demorph. We’ll think of something on the way ok, but we need to move now!/

/...Very well./ Blaise accepted, letting me go slowly. Shaking my feathers back into place, I waited until Blaise gave the all clear and took flight back the way we came. With knowledge of what was within the chambers, the trip back was much quicker than the one going in, but it still wasn’t nearly fast enough for me. Every moment I was down there, every flap of my wings only made me more desperate to get out. To find and save Terry.

I wasn’t losing another person to the Yeerks tonight. Especially not my best friend.


	11. Neville

Seamus barely made it back in time from his and Ginny’s turn of snooping around before it happened. We were lucky that he was heading back down and had already returned to rat morph when he stumbled upon Filch heading our way. I’d never seen a rat hyperventilating before then, but after sprinting throughout the entirety of the dungeons and squeezing through the hole in the door, Seamus looked ready to pass out and he still had to demorph.

With the rest of us sitting as close together as we could to give him cover, he rushed the morph as quickly as he could, all of us only growing more frantic as the caretaker’s echoing footsteps grew louder and louder.

“Hurry Seamus.” Ernie muttered under his breath as they came to a complete stop, the stomping being replaced with the rattling of keys.

“Hurry, really? Great idea, why didn’t it cross my mind?” Seamus shot back sarcastically, his voice hoarse as his vocal cords altered themselves. Still looking a lot like a humanoid rat and giving Ernie the stink eye, he threw himself into his outer robe and sealed it shut before moving onto his pants. He didn’t even bother with his underwear or shirt, simply balling them up and stuffing them into his pockets, his socks quickly following. He just got his feet back to looking human enough to slip his shoes on just as the door creaked loudly open and Flich’s smug, grotesque face came into view.

“Ah good, you’re all awake.” He said with an even uglier smirk, slowly strolling his way down the hallway and right up to the bars of our cell. Throwing his hood up to hide his receding ears and fur, Seamus forced his feet into his shoes just as Filch reached us. “We can get this over with then”

“Get what over with?” Ginny scowled, rising to her feet. “This was our last day of confinement. We’re to be released in the morning.”

“The clock passed twelve. Technically, this is the morning. So...” Filch smirked, raising his key to the cell lock and brought the door squeaking open. “You’re free to go.”

“Really? No tricks?” I asked, frowning warily, the others making no move to leave either. Filch was still smirking, gleefully at that. That wasn’t normal. He hated the part where the students were able to leave their punishments, even now. If he was letting us out so early and was happy about it...

“No tricks, you can go. The Professors will return your wands at breakfast. However,” He added, his smirk growing even more wicked. “If you are found wandering the halls after curfew, which was over four hours ago for your Houses, you will receive a week of detentions with Professor Carrow. He needs more...volunteers for Cruciatus curse target practice for his fifth year classes.”

Throwing his head back, he cackled loudly before going on his merry way, stopping only to spare us one more cocky look before disappearing out of sight. No doubt planning exactly where he was going to catch and report us.

“He didn’t even tell us about our Houses being warded shut.” Ernie scowled loathingly after him. “He tried to leave us in the dark and have us head to our dorms where they’d pick us off.”

“You know, I really hope something horrible happens to that man.” Seamus muttered, Ernie and Ginny nodding in agreement.

“Whatever, we can think of revenge schemes and wishes of misery later, we need to get out of here before he or a bloody Death Eater shows up again.” I stated, heading out the door and down the passageway. The others quickly followed, all of us having enough of this depressing jail.

“Where shall we go?” Luna asked, pulling me to a halt just as I turned to the direction of the stairway we used to and from potions class. “If above is monitored and we have no access to our Houses, is it wise to go up?”

“The dungeons would be the last place they’d expect us to be, especially after this week.” Ginny nodded grudgingly with a sigh. Crossing her arms and pouting at the floor, she looked like she’d love nothing more than to disagree with herself. “It...would also be a good opportunity to scout around them. There were never any portraits down here and a lot of the dungeons is never used for anything. I didn’t know we even had holding cells in the castle before this week! Who knows what the Yeerks or even the Death Eaters could be hiding down here? It’s the perfect place.”

“With the Slytherin House hidden somewhere nearby.” I shook my head. “It’s too likely that we’ll bump into one, if not now, then when it gets closer to morning and let’s face it, this close to their territory, we’d have a disaster on our hands even if Death Eaters weren’t running the place. There’s also the risk of getting lost down here. And besides, I want a comfy bed and a blanket that doesn’t have holes all through it!” I added, whining childishly. I know, I shouldn’t act like such a juvenile, but I couldn’t help it. I was tired, hungry and you try sleeping in a cold, stone cell with nothing but a very thin, ancient mat between you and the floor. With no pillow and a blanket so old and worn out, it was more of an irritation than anything else. I swear that it was only our morphing that kept us from being horribly sick.

“Fine, so the Room of Requirement is the only choice.” Seamus shrugged, conceding almost enthusiastically. He wasn’t really making any attempt to hide his happiness at the idea of a soft, warm bed.

“In that case, perhaps the morphing power should be used.” Luna shrugged, not only unphased by her idea being shot down, but already growing grey fur. “Cats and owls can warn others of nearby troublemakers.”

“Alright, I’ll join Luna, you guys carry our clothes.” I agreed, shrugging off my outer robe and handing it to Ernie. Seamus and Ginny nodded along with him, both Gryffindors looking more than a little relieved. They’d already morphed a few times tonight and hadn’t had a chance to eat. They both looked ready to pass out the moment their heads hit something solid, there was no way that they could handle another transition. Though Seamus was keen to go there, walking to the DA’s headquarters was really going to push their limited reserves.

The moment our morphs were complete, we set back out, moving quickly. Luna tailed the group, making sure we weren’t caught from the way we came, while I flew a bit out to the front, my eyes and hearing easily picking up every possible threat to us. The trek was unfortunately very slow, not that that was surprising, considering what had been going on the last two days. Even in these late hours, I had to direct Ernie and the others into other passageways or classrooms a number of times. Though the Death Eaters’ numbers were no greater than before, many of the teachers, and even a lot students, were striding and sneaking respectively through the halls, looking for potential arsonists no doubt. I admit, it filled me with a fair bit of pride to see so many of us, some of them not even actually being members of the DA, aiming to protect the castle and everything inside it, but tonight it was a nuisance. It would look weird if an owl was flying around the halls, leading a group of freed troublemakers, and even I couldn’t always see who was coming and had to warn the others to hide almost too late. On top of that, I had no way of knowing if any of them were Controllers. I may have just been paranoid, but with the halls usually empty, even with the activity of tonight, we might make decent targets. After all, if the fires had stopped happening, and the areas attacked had been completely cleared out, who was to say that they weren’t ready to take a few more hosts? Taking Ernie, Ginny and Seamus would be a great benefit to them. While two were known guarantees to fight when things kicked up with the Death Eaters and the third was likely, taking the three of them would give the Yeerks a great deal of control over the DA, as well as three of our most talented fighters. If a clean opportunity came up, why wouldn’t they take it?

The same could also be said of any Slytherins wondering around. Whether or not they were Controllers, they were likely to report us to the Carrows instantly. It’s not like they would care that Slytherin flunkies were out after hours. Or they could simply attack us. Without their wands, Ernie , Seamus and Ginny would be helpless. No, it was best to avoid every chance of it.

Still, getting around undetected was much easier now that we had the morphing power. We managed to reach the second floor much quicker than we ever would have two weeks ago, with the next staircase coming in sight. We could have used one of the main staircases sooner, but with the number of people running around, the smaller, less used ones that only connected to two or three floors were much safer.

/I’m flying ahead./ I called down, already picking up speed and altitude. Safer or not, with so many people intent on finding people that don’t want to be caught, I couldn’t let the others go up without checking that it was clear.

I ended up hearing the people up there long before I saw them.

Thump!

“Argh!” Someone had just hit the ground hard. He was definitely fighting to keep his voice down, but with the empty stone hallway’s echo and my owl hearing, he might as well have screamed. The cry was quickly followed by two sets of footsteps, moving fast, before the victim grunted and growled under his breath, the way people do when they’re struggling. “Let me go! Get off me!”

/Guys, stay down, we’ve got a scuffle up here./ I shouted as I reached the landing and flew up over the group’s heads, landing haphazardly on the top of a window sill. I almost fell down when I saw who was involved.

Terry Boot was struggling to get up off of his stomach and out of the grips of none other than Parvati and Lavender! The boy was struggling hard and wildly, but nothing he did would unlatch the girls long enough to do anything about it. Not that he wasn’t putting up a good fight though, he was breaking free of at least one hand almost constantly.

/Guys, I’ve found a fight...between DA members here./ I called down to the others nervously as Lavender got tired of the struggle and sat on Terry’s back, forcing him flat on the ground with pained cry as his chin slammed into the stone.

/We would wish to know who./ Luna replied, airily as always, though there was hint of sadness hidden behind it. I knew how she felt, this could only possibly mean one thing.

/Terry’s being planted against the ground by Parvati and Lavender./ I answered, flinching as Parvati twisted Terry’s wrist painfully enough to scream before Lavender pulled the other one to it and held them in place as Parvati took her wand out and tied them up. His legs were quickly bound right after. /What do I do?/

Luna gave me no answer to that. She couldn’t, I knew it. No one could. We still didn’t have our wands, I was only an owl and Luna was only a cat, what could we do? Without something to distract them, we would easily be caught, bound or stunned. I could probably get away if I only attacked once, but that wouldn’t do anyone any good. And we didn’t even know who was the good side in this! Yes, Terry was alone, restrained and trying to get away, but he was the superior spellcaster between the three of them by a fair bit, and very good at being stealthy. Seamus took him along for jobs plenty of times. He could easily have tried to take both girls down on his own and had a very high chance of succeeding. Then again, it could be exactly as it looked. Even now, Terry was still writhing, trying to get away.

I had no idea who to help. If I did nothing, Terry was caught. If I did something, I doubt it would save Terry at all and I might end up trying to help the wrong friend. ‘What do I do?’

There was nothing we could do. Except watch.

“This is tedious.” Lavender grunted, struggling to hold Terry in place. Even constrained, he was still heavier and stronger than her and it was taking all she had not to get bucked right off of him. “We should just stun him. What harm could it do?”

“Besides having to carry him back?” Parvati retorted. “Neither of us knows how to make things float behind us. The levitation charm’s too slow and taxing to get back down to the chamber. We need him to hop his way there, at least until we find help.”

“Gossips.” Lavender spat, her face wrinkling in distaste. “At least they got their fighting skills up to par. Honestly, spending so many years blabbering on about clothes, boys and the most useless of facts. What a waste of time!”

“You need therapy!” Terry snapped before suddenly jerking as hard as he could and finally dislodging Lavender, the blonde tumbling off with a startled cry. “Or a blow to the head might do it.” He scowled, forcing his body into a roll only to freeze as he caught sight of his attackers’ face. “Parvati?”

Taking advantage of his shock, Parvati stomped down on his stomach, knocking all the wind out him with a choked gasp and coughing fit. He was completely helpless now.

/Parvati and Lavender are the Controllers./ I confirmed angrily. My fists would have been shaking and my teeth would be clenched if I was human right now. From what the girls had said and Terry and Parvati’s actions, it was the only explanation. Terry was the victim here and I was doing nothing but watching as they took him too! What kind of leader was I, leaving my own allies to be beaten, infested and enslaved? How could I just watch this, how could I just stand by and let them take him?

Simple answer? I couldn’t. There was no choice. It was risky, suspicious. It might reveal too much to both of the enemies, more so the Yeerks, if they caught on, but we had to save him. He was still one of us. While Luna and I weren’t much use and Seamus and Ginny were too tired, we had more than enough time for Ernie to morph.

However, just before I gave the call, we actually got a lucky break! Parvati and Lavender were just forcing a still gasping Terry to his feet when two people practically flew around the corner. The girls didn’t even have time to notice them as the pair of silently cast stunning spells surged right for them and struck cleanly into their chest. Loud gasps and a panicked cry echoed throughout the area as the girls were flung away to the ground, unconscious, leaving Terry to lose balance and face plant...or at least, he would have if one of his saviours hadn’t whipped his wand up and had him floating upright again. The other took one quick look around before nodding to his partner and leaving the way he came, but the first continued on and, with a sharp flick of his wrist, severed the ropes binding Terry completely before rushing forward.

“Oh, thank Merlin we found you so quickly!” A very familiar voice exclaimed, his hood flying back to reveal Anthony’s face right before he pulled Terry into a hug. Though, he pulled away and punch the groaning brunette in the arm a moment later. “What do you think you’re doing roaming the halls alone at a time like this?”

“I was-”

“Asking for trouble?” Both boys tensed and whipped around to face the stairs, Terry flinching in pain and Anthony throwing his wand back up, only for both of them to relax when they found Ernie at the top of the stairs, Ginny following close behind. “Like the pair of you are, stopping for a conversation right now?”

“Ernie! Ginny!” Terry grinned, both Ravenclaws’ faces lighting up at the sight of them. “You guys are out now? That’s awesome news. Where are the others?”

“Heading up another way to the Room of Requirement.” Ginny stated tiredly, leaning a little against Ernie. “Apparently our dorms are warded off from us at this time. We thought smaller groups were more likely to make it there unseen.”

/Can someone clue me in here?/ I asked as Terry and Anthony nodded in understanding. I sure wasn’t.

/It would be rather strange if Seamus was seen with our clothes, wouldn’t you think? Or our current appearances?/ Luna stated, explaining it all. However, that came out far too innocently, even for Luna. /Unless we seemed to be exhibiting a rather interesting response to a Nargle bite. Perhaps an unexpected delirium that gave us the urge to roam freely. Again, as the case may be./

While Anthony turned confused at the comment, Ginny and Ernie were visibly holding back a laughing fit, making Terry look at them weirdly. I didn’t need to see Seamus’ face to know he was putting everything he had into staying silent down below as he busted a gut, and I was thankful that you could never see blushes or humiliation on an owl’s face. Yep, I failed spectacularly with my story telling before. It took Seamus only a minute to figure out just what happened and a nervous slip of the tongue gave the rest of it. They even knew about the bloody closet. I was never living this down, I was reminded every hour ever since, much to my misery and their amusement. Even Luna got in on it.

“So...what should we do with them.” Terry asked awkwardly, frowning as he turned back to the stunned girls. “I can’t believe it, they just came out of nowhere and attacked me! And the queen of gossiping attacking gossips? What the hell?”

“They were caught.” Anthony answered sadly, guilt quickly taking over his face. “I’ll tell you about it later, when we’re not likely to be found again. Let’s go to the Room.”

“But what about them?” Ginny frowned, biting her lip as she stared at the girls. I felt just as troubled as she did. Controllers or not, they were both one of us, members of the original DA, Gryffindors, loyal to the cause, and forever in our day to day lives. Friends. It wasn’t right just to leave them there. But as things were...

/We’ll have to leave them./ I decided, already set to kick myself for this. /We’ll decide what to do about them later, but for now, we need them to stay far away from us./

“If they’re being controlled, then we’ll have to leave them here.” Ernie stated, vocalising my words for me, despite the look of anger and frustration saying them brought him. He was after all, as loyal as they came. To leave friends and allies like this...well, he probably felt a fair bit of self disgust. “They and anyone who finds them, will think the Slytherin Death Eater wannabes got to them. Heck, those morons would happily take the credit.”

“Seriously?” Terry cried, only to be shushed by all three of the others as his voice rose too high. “We’re just going to leave them here? Like this? We not going to even try to save them?”

“We don’t know any spells to release them.” Anthony shook his head, his sadness and guilty look only growing stronger. “And we can’t risk them listening in on what we say, letting them know just how much we know.”

“They’ll already know that we’re on to them now.” Ginny agreed with a sigh, fighting to keep her eyes open now. All the excitement had her ready to fall into Ernie’s arms. “It’s best that they don’t know just how much we know, at least until we know what we’re going to do about these two.”

“Which means that a memory charm would be a good idea right now.” Anthony stated, slowly walking right up to the girls and raising his wand. “This way, they’ll never know that they found Terry, that he knows about them. Obliviate!”

Bathing first Parvati and then Lavender in the glow of his spell, he slowly and carefully erased their last conscious minutes from their minds. “There. Terry’s safe and we have knowledge they don’t.”

“That’s the best we can do right now.” Ernie shook his head irritably, crossing his arms. “Now come on. We have to keep going. We need to meet up with the others, Ginny needs a bed and good meal and I think we all want to hear Goldstein’s story.”

Nodding, though in all three cases it was hesitant and accompanied by scowls, pity and regret, the four of them turned upward and continued on. It took all the restraint they had not to turn around and grab the girls.

I just watched on and waited for Seamus and Luna to catch up before we followed, Seamus making sure to stay out of sight of the group while Luna watched our backs. None of us said anything else the rest of the way up. Though his own exhaustion was shining through, Seamus’ face made it clear that he felt no happier about our decision than Ernie and Terry did. Still, it was all we could do.

I wanted to stay and watch over them. I wanted to move them out of harm’s way. I wanted to get the Yeerks out of their heads and crush them. But I couldn’t do any of it. The biggest responsibilities of a leader were clashing horribly here. Protecting my own and preserving our chance of saving everyone. If I protected Parvati and Lavender now, I’d risk giving away our best advantage. The Yeerks would know, if not by our actions, then by the fact that the girls were freed, that we knew they were here, that the knowledge would spread. And that would be disastrous.

‘I’m sorry.’ I thought mournfully, taking care not to use thought speak as I spread my wings and took off once again. I couldn’t save them now. But when the time was right, they would be at the top of my list. That was a promise.

....

By the time Seamus, Luna and I entered the Room of Requirement, Ginny was already asleep on a comfy couch and the others were sitting on cushions surrounding a coffee table that two House elves were covering with food and drinks. Dobby, the elf that Harry was so fond of, was happily setting down a plate of eggrolls and gushing about his happiness at helping the Great Harry Potter’s friends while Ernie stole a roll and shoved half of it into his mouth before the plate even met the wood.

“Food!” Seamus groaned, tiredly, but happily, basically falling onto a cushion and shoving handfuls of bacon into mouth without another word.

“Thank you for the help Dobby, Winky.” Anthony said gratefully, bowing his head to each of the elves in turn. “We appreciate your efforts.”

“You is most welcome, Master Goldstein.” Dobby beamed, practically dancing at the thanks. “We is always most happy to help kind wizards. Especially friends of Harry Potter.”

“Is there anything else you is needing?” Winky asked politely, curtseying with her own small grin. I’d heard that she’d only just recently finally got over her depression of being freed from her last family. Harry and Hermione had always felt very sorry for her. It was good to see she was starting to be happy again.

“No thank you, that’s all we need. Would you like to sit down and eat with us?” Ernie asked between bites, waving an arm in offering. Both elves gasped at the offer and Dobby smiled with tears in his eyes, but both of them shook their heads.

“No, no, it is not proper, sir.” Winky mumbled shyly.

“But to have such an offer made! What kind wizards you all are.” Dobby gushed, smiling over everyone. “Dobby and Winky must be going, but if yous be needing anything else, please call. Dobby will come.”

“Thank you, Mr Elf.” Luna smiled warmly, taking a seat next to Seamus and filling a plate at a much calmer pace than Ernie and Seamus as I flopped next to Anthony. If anything, Dobby only beamed brighter at the title and seemed to be in quite a happy fluster as he and Winky disappeared. Grinning at the elf’s antiques, I set to work gathering my own food. After that last morph, I could eat a horse.

“So, what exactly did happen to the girls?” Terry asked, turning a bit impatient as he stared hard right at Anthony. It wasn’t surprising really, he’d just been attacked by our friends and we’d chosen to leave them there. That wasn’t exactly good points for any of us. The rest of us continued eating, we were all starving, but everyone’s eyes had turned to the blond in question, causing him to fiddle with his goblet uncomfortably. However, when he spoke, his voice seemed a fair bit calmer and stronger than I was used to hearing from him when he was in the spotlight.

“Slughorn caught them on the third floor. They got too close to their new, little hideout.”

“Slughorn and his fellow victims have a hideout?” I asked, breaking into a cold sweat. That could only mean an entrance to the Yeerk Pool. But I thought that those wouldn’t be possible until the portraits were taken care of. It looks like the Yeerks were moving faster than we thought. That really wasn’t good.

“Yes, in a place most people aren’t aware even still exists.” Anthony nodded gravely. “Dead center in the newly made portrait-free zone is the trap door in the forbidden corridor. It’s their answer to our use of the Room of Requirement.”

“What?” Terry cried, thoroughly flabbergasted. “What do they need with a secret place to meet like that? The Death Eaters run the school! And there are plenty of places to hold little meetings, why go through all this trouble?” Anthony looked completely lost under his best friend’s gaze. Frowning hard, he bit his lip and stared at the table. Anyone could see the internal battle going on there and that worried me. Terry was sure to see it and would know exactly how to make Anthony crack. The poor blond was in a position that he hated most and frequently looked my way, almost imploringly. For what, I wasn’t a hundred percent sure, there were a couple of possibilities.

“To keep who’s being controlled a secret.” Seamus answered knowingly, pulling attention away from the now relaxing blond. “And so they can take control of more us without being noticed. It defies the point of hiding controlled people within our ranks if we notice them working with the enemy. It’s a stealth play Terry, you should recognise it by now.”

“True.” He nodded slowly, though his mind was clearly somewhere else. And with the looks he gave him, they were probably circulating Anthony. “So what happened next? And why didn’t you stop him?”

“I couldn’t.” Anthony sighed sadly, resting his face in his hands. “There were too many of them around. If we’d tried anything, we would have been caught too. They were dragged down the trapdoor and when they came up, followed by Death Eaters, they were ordered to find and bring Terry in quickly. We followed them as best we could and hoped to stop them before they reached you, but it’s hard moving around with so many Death Eaters in the area, you know?”

We watched on silently and sympathetically at that, Terry instantly turning apologetic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything.” He said softly, wrapping an arm around Anthony’s shoulders. “I just...”

“Angry, frustrated, a little confused, I know. But you’re right anyway. I stood back and did nothing while they were taken.” Well, that feeling seemed to be going around tonight. It was the sad truth that all of us felt. The truth of the matter was that everyone in the room had failed Parvati and Lavender tonight, some more than others.

“Hey, stop that.” Ernie chided softly, putting his food down and staring at Anthony right in the eyes. “You said it yourself. There was nothing you could do to save them. That doesn’t mean it’s your fault. Getting caught yourself wouldn’t do them any favours. Staying safe on the other hand, means that you can help save them later.”

“I guess.” Anthony nodded, though he looked no less upset. We all fell into silence at that, most of us simply eating, focusing solely on the food.

Most of us. I didn’t. Anthony wasn’t the only one feeling guilty about the infested allies. But it was more than that, there was more to Anthony’s story. He’d learned more than he was saying and I wanted to know what. But he couldn’t say anything as it was now, with Terry in the room.

And who knew how many more DA members were going to show up when they tired themselves out? It was only going to grow more difficult to talk and I really wanted to know what he knew. I wanted to be able to react as soon as possible. I didn’t have any desire to let the Yeerks make moves like this, get ahead of us so quickly again. Which brought me to a very important decision. Do we leave it for tomorrow or let Terry know everything?

Anthony would pick the latter. I think he was actually desperate to. The two of them were as close as friends got. They kept nothing from each other, could usually tell when the other was trying, especially in Anthony’s case. He wasn’t a great actor. It was only a matter of time before Terry noticed and confronted him about everything anyway. Luna had already mentioned that she’d seen a bit of a strain here and there between them lately, when she spied on Ravenclaw Tower.

It was in Terry’s best interest to know. It would allow him to better protect himself and stop the risk of him getting suspicious with Anthony’s behaviour and doing something reckless again. Or noticing too much and giving all that information to the Yeerks if they did catch him. It would also leave Anthony with one less stress to forever plague his mind, even help cover for him when he went on missions with us. And we now had a guarantee that he wasn’t a Controller.

But we also knew that the Yeerks were keen to target him. And if we told him everything only for them to infest him, all of our secrets, including those of the original Animorphs, would fall into the Yeerks’ hands and screw us all over.

Still, like I said, it was only a matter of time before he caught on to enough and if he was infested, he’d target Anthony and probably get him if it happens before we became aware of his infestation. Then we’d really be screwed over.

‘I wonder how they’d feel about it.’ I mused, looking over everyone in the room. When my eyes found Terry again, my mind was made up. I could only hope that it was the right decision.

“Anthony, what have the Yeerks done to the chambers? What did you see when you snuck down there?”

“Huh?” Terry cried as everyone jolted and whipped their heads my way, staring at me incredulously. “Yeerks? Wait, what do you mean Anthony went down into the chambers? ...Why are you guys all looking like Snape and his horde just walked into the room?” He added unsurely, growing nervous at everyone’s stunned, gobsmacked and slightly scared expressions.

“That was a surprisingly upfront way of going about this.” Luna commented, the only one still completely unphased. “Perhaps next time, you should perform a subtler method. You appear to have addled them.”

“Neville, what...” Seamus started only to trail off. It was a rare day that he was lost for words. “That’s dangerous, that is! Do you realise the risk...”

“With Terry so close to Anthony, there’s a big risk either way at this point.” I replied firmly, staring each of them down. “We know he’s not one of them now. Anthony can guarantee it, if he could tell us the whole story. And we’ve all seen how the two of them are with each other. Terry’s already noticed odd behaviour, haven’t you?” I asked, immediately getting a frown and nod from the brunette Ravenclaw. “He may not figure everything out on his own, but he’d get enough. This way, he knows to watch his back and Anthony is relieved of a lot of stress. Merlin knows he feels enough without Terry’s involvement already.”

While the other boys turned serious, Anthony gave me a thankful smile and nodded his approval. Luna seemed completely fine with it too. Ernie and Seamus still looked more than a little concerned though. I could understand that, I was taking a risk. But still, after a moment, Ernie sighed, conceding to my decision and Seamus nodded.

“As long as he keeps his mouth shut, I’m ok with it.” The Irishman stated, squaring a serious look Terry’s way. “What you’re about to be told is the whole truth behind Slughorn and the victims like him. Information that, aside from the already enslaved, only one person in the entire school outside this room knows about. And no matter how bad it sounds, for now it has to stay that way for everyone’s sakes, within the school and well beyond. Can you do that? Can you keep quiet about it, even when you know that telling people might save them from Parvati and Lavender’s fate?”

“I...” Terry started, confliction coming off of him in waves. It was a hard choice, I know. We all had to make it and we feel sadness, anger and guilt with every classmate and kid we find that’s been infested. We really felt it with Lavender and Parvati. But it’s a necessity we can’t ignore. “I...we’re still going to free them, right?” He asked, flickering from one hard face watching him to the next. “Even if they’re caught, you do intend to free them, right?”

“Of course.” Anthony nodded, though no happiness joined it. “If we can. Some...well, war has casualties, it’s inescapable. And let us be clear, this is a war just as real as the one with the Dark Lord, and will only end the same way, with one side destroying the other.”

“I see.” Terry muttered, scowling hard at the table. “Well...yes, if it’s that important, then yes.”

“Good. Then we’ll give you a quick version of what we’ve seen and learned.” I stated. Making myself comfortable, I started a recap of everything we’d seen and done since the discovery of the Taxxon, with help from Ernie and Anthony, while Seamus and Luna let themselves fall into a light doze. We told him about the Yeerks, the Chamber of Secrets being converted to a Yeerk Pool, the Animorphs and Ax, the morphing power, even our trip to find Harry and attack Azkaban. By the end of it, you could see his head reeling, trying to take it all in.

And of course, unfortunately for him, it only got worse as Anthony continued from there. He told us about his and Blaise’s deduction of the forbidden corridor and about how it was actually dug out from rising earth. He told us about how they snuck down in jarvey and jobberknoll morphs and all the traps and wards put up to protect the place. He told us about the nearly completed Yeerk Pool entrance being dug out. And he told us about them preparing a new target.

“From the way he was talking, this new target will give the Yeerks a serious edge.” He stated nervously, fiddling with everything within reach again. “He said that they should have gone for it from the start, that Visser Three was a moron to delay it for so long.”

“Oh, like we need things getting worse.” Ginny groaned irritably, having been awoken for Anthony’s tale. “The Death Eaters are far more than enough on their own, we don’t need the Yeerks running around like they own the place too!”

“There’s not much we can do about that until we know who or what they’re targeting.” Ernie sighed, leaning back into the couch and folding his arms. “We’ll just have to focus on the chambers now and worry about that later.”

I hated to agree, but he was right. Without more information, that was a needle in a haystack scenario. It was best to focus on what we could currently change, not the areas still left in the dark.

“We must check the Shrieking Shack next chance we get.” Luna mused, bringing me right out of my thoughts.

“Why would we do that?” I asked, and I wasn’t the only one staring at her confusedly. She on the other hand, was staring at us like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Haven’t you noticed a pattern?” She asked, staring surprisingly around at everyone, only to get more confused faces looking back. “The trapdoor chambers in the forbidden corridor, the Chamber of Secrets. They’re both private, rarely visited places and both were part of Harry’s heroic history. We have this room as our territory, but that still leaves the Shack. Like both sets of chambers, the shack holds significance to Hogwarts and as such, is left mostly alone. the perfect place for another Yeerk operation.”

“Hm. Well, it definitely another possibility. Especially since the Taxxons can unseal the passageway.” Ginny accepted, pressing her lips. “We really should keep that place under watch.”

“Another thing for another day.” Seamus shrugged, not that it was easy to see. Resting his head in his hand with his elbow propped against the table, it was only because he spoke that I didn’t think was asleep. “Let’s focus on what can decide right now. Like the girls.”

“So what do you do?” Terry almost whispered from his place, drawing everyone’s gaze. The poor guy was pale as the Bloody Barron as he looked around, fear and disbelief etched all over his face. “When you find these...Controllers. what do you really do?”

“Mostly, just watch them.” I answered as reassuringly I could. “We may have not told the DA the whole story on the how or the allegiances, but we don’t do any more to the hosts than what we told the rest of you to do.”

“Not that we’ve done anything else outside of Azkaban.” Ginny noted with a glare. “Being in captivity and only acting as owls, cats and rats left us very limited in options.”

“Yeah. I bet it would.” Terry muttered, staring off in a daze again. “A shapeshifting trick that makes Animagi obsolete. With no magic involved. Wow.”

“Anyway, what do we about them?” I asked, pulling us back on track. I think we’d lost Terry again anyway. “They can’t stay in the DA. They’ll tell the Yeerk everything, but at the same time, if we butt them right out with no other reason that they won’t give us, it’ll tell the Yeerks we know about their capture and raise suspicion that way.”

“Would that be a problem if we waited a few days?” Anthony asked hesitantly, nibbling on his lip. “I mean, Slughorn knows that we suspect him now, along with all our other discovered Controllers, to be Death Eater pawns. Would it be that surprising if we ‘discover’ them too?”

“I guess not.” I nodded hesitantly, thinking it over. “But we’d still need to see them doing something worthy of suspicion.”

“Is removing them from the DA really the best option?” Luna asked, once again earning her everyone’s stares. “Would the Yeerks not simply look for replacements in our ranks? We could simply end up kicking everyone out.”

“She’s got a point.” Ernie grunted, though looking none too pleased about it.

“They already want DA spies from each House if they can get them.” Anthony nodded with a scowl.

“So what do we do then? Just let them get what they want?” I cried, punching the table with a resounding bang. It hurt bloody murder.

“No, we let them think they have.” It seemed that Terry had finally got back with it. Staring around at each of us, he’d regained his colouring and had a strategic look in his eyes. “What if we keep them in the group, and feed them what we want the Yeerks to think? Who cares if they know that we’re training? Most people already assume that anyway.”

“Anything really damaging that we can’t keep from them is already in their hands anyway.” Anthony mused, nodding in agreement. “If we keep holding back information from the group in general, only tell specific members specific things, they won’t even manage to mess around with our stunts much. It’s not like most members know the details of other members’ little missions and acts of defiance anyway. It would be easy to put up an illusion for the Yeerks to see, make them think they know and control a lot when they really know little.”

“That’s cunning, underhanded and deceitful.” I stated, a smirk growing across my face. “And so unexpected from us. They’ll never see it.”

“And they’ll still be helping us against the Yeerks.” Ernie added, grudgingly accepting the plan. It was the opposite of his personality, so it was understanding that he’d dislike the idea. “Hopefully, when they do realise that, it’ll make them feel a bit better about themselves. No other hosts managed that yet.”

“So we all agree? Great, let’s move on to the chambers.” Ginny said quickly, with an air of finality firmly in place and everyone nodding or making sounds of agreement. None of us wanted to focus on that still depressing thought any longer than we had to. Not unless it was to set about freeing them now.

“So what can we do about the chambers?” Seamus grumbled out, repositioning his head into his crossed arms. “Blowing them up would have lousy consequences, both to our secret retaliation and the school.”

“Or what about the Controllers inside it?” Ernie added, frowning exasperatedly. “How the heck did they even get Hork-Bajir down there anyway? The passage isn’t finished yet!”

“The Professors they’ve infested.” Anthony answered grimly. “In addition to Slughorn, we saw Sinistra exit the forbidden corridor and only Professor Babbling could have possibly done those Runes. They’re set up to draw power from the magic in the castle itself, as well as the air and earth around it, making so they’ll never run out of power. Even I don’t have the first clue how to do that much.”

“Wow, I must be tired. For a second I thought I heard Anthony bragging.” Seamus muttered, looking up with a smirk as Anthony blushed embarrassedly.

“It’s a point though, not even many of the Professors are intimate with Ancient Runes.” I responded, getting a thankful look as I nodded to Anthony. “And between the three professors, they have plenty of spell and rune talent to smuggle a group of sentient creatures into the castle during a panic, like the one the fires caused.”

“And between the three of them alone, Yeerk free humans would have no chance of getting in and out without getting caught and infested.” Ernie frowned heavily. “Taking control of the place would be impossible.”

“At the moment, yes.” Ginny nodded, smirking as wickedly as her sleep deprived state allowed as we turned to her. And let me tell you, Ginny smirking wickedly when she had bags under her eyes, tangled hair and grimy clothes was terrifying. “But we could use it to our advantage if we go for a sneaky approach. I got just the thing. All we’ll need for it to work is a lot of chaos.”


	12. Blaise

I actually had a big smirk on my face as I stared out at the lake, listening as Goldstein told me every detail of Weasley’s plan. Cunning, multilayered, deceitful and with a sting at the end of it. I never would have thought anyone inside Potter’s inner circle could come up with anything like that. She’s more impressive than I gave her credit for.

“I take it that you like the plan.” Goldstein said mildly from behind his ever-present book. Though he only brought it for appearances, not that it was necessary with the lake side almost completely deserted, he’d made it through a few pages while updating me. “So is it safe to assume that you’re in?”

“I suppose I could help.” I answered coolly. The truth was that I was keen. It wouldn’t require much risk at all really. We’d be turning one of their greatest advantages into a trap. What could be more perfect? “Though, I do have one condition for my continued assistance.”

“Oh? And what would that be?” He asked, raising an eyebrow over his tome.

“Something that will benefit all of us.” I stated, only making him more intrigued. “Theodore Nott. I want help keeping him safe. And you want him safe. He saw the Muggles in the forest too. He knows too much.”

“Say what?” Goldstein actually dropped his book right on the ground, gaping at me. “Nott was there? That would have been nice to know before now!”

“I haven’t known very long myself.” I responded dryly. “He only just informed me. But that’s not important at this time. Theodore is not like the other Slytherins. He’s...what your friends would deem better than me. He’s kind and by all accounts, a blood traitor. He simply hides it due to his House and father. Mr Nott is a very high ranked Death Eater. Theodore has openly declared himself neutral. In addition to his own merits, this would make him a valuable target for the Yeerks. And...I don’t want my friend sharing Brown and Patil’s fate.” I forced it out, letting my blank look and pride slip away, just for a moment, to let Goldstein see just how worried and, Merlin forbid anyone from knowing, pleading I really was. I hated the fact that someone, even Goldstein, saw me in such a pathetic state, but...Theodore was the first person to ever actually become my friend. He and Goldstein were the only people I’d ever use that word for and I’d grown close to Theodore long before even Goldstein. Even if he knew nothing, I would have made this demand anyway. I...wanted my friend safe. Though I’d never admit it, I’d do anything to keep him free, or at least as free as circumstances allowed him to be.

“I see.” Goldstein muttered, taking in a slow, deep breath, letting the shock fade. “Of course, we’ll help keep him free. Though there’s only so much we can do with a Yeerk Pool entrance in your House common room and keeping his secret, as I’m sure you both want.” He added, getting a nod in return.

“I understand that his safety is dominantly my responsibility.” I stated stoically, turning back to the water. “I only ask for assistance whenever possible.”

“And I can promise you’ll get that.”

“You have my thanks.” I said, turning back with a brief, but thankful smile. “Anthony.”

I would never have imagined such a happy smile would grace his face when I said his first name. In all honesty, I should have started using it a while ago, but circumstances made it a possible issue that I’d rather avoid. Though, maybe if I had realised that he was waiting for me to use it, a pureblood’s custom of officially declaring another your friend,...perhaps I would have said it sooner.

“Now, your plan...” I started quickly, changing the subject. We only had so long before others came near us, after all. “I believe you required more chaos in the chambers.”

“Well, yeah.” G...Anthony nodded, setting his book down now as his face turned serious. “We have a distraction for in the castle, the detentions happen nearly every day. That will be easy to exploit. However, for one part of the plan, I will need to spend a little bit of time in the last chamber as a human. Which leaves me at a good chance of being spotted, my last job of the plan ruined and will reveal that at least some of the DA know about the Yeerks and have a way to sneak into their chambers unaffected by their runes and wards.”

“In order for this to work, the chambers must be in disarray.” I nodded thinking it over. It was a tricky situation, I’ll admit. The plan would require Anthony to go in initially as a jobberknoll. The bird’s eye view would be essential to safely guide the rest of us safely through, especially since he was the only one who remembered exactly where all the traps were, having seen them through the impressive eyes of a bird and gaining the gift of enhanced memory from the bird’s magical DNA. In normal situations, I would suggest smoke or instant darkness powder, but both would have severe negative effects on a bird at worst and take away the advantage of his vision at best. Still, if they were sent in a bit earlier, to let it thin out a bit first, and then accompanied by a few of the Weasley twins’ more disruptive toys...

“I was actually thinking that...we might be able to convince Peeves to help us.” Anthony said a little unsurely before I could open my mouth, wringing his hands together. “He is a creature of chaos after all, so...”

“That’s brilliant.” I smirked, getting a pleased look in return. I have to admit, I was very proud of Anthony. The boy was finally using everything he knew, every trick and scrap of seemingly insignificant knowledge that he’d ever collected, and was proving to be quite the strategist. Using Peeves was brilliant, no one ever went to him for help and seeing as he cared about as much about the Death Eaters, Yeerks or anyone else equally, no one would ever suspect someone else’s involvement. If we gave him a few toys, he’d be happy to drive people insane with them. Peeves was the perfect scapegoat, just like the Death Eaters had been for the Yeerks. Anthony intended to use their own tricks against them. “Sometimes I wonder if you were really meant to be a Slytherin.”

“Knowledge, wisdom and cunning are closely linked.” Anthony shrugged with a grin. “And a motivated eagle is just as deadly as a snake.”

“Well then, deadly eagle, how about we turned that sharp mind to the remaining details?” I smirked, turning him curious. “How are you going to get the needed wands into the last chamber and ensure that we remain undisturbed in it? Even with Peeves’ assistance, this doesn’t come with a guarantee of privacy.”

“Ernie’s going to take care of all that.” He answered, his grin turning a bit more sly. I have to admit that the look unnerved me a little, simply because it didn’t belong on his face. “After all, now that I know where all the extra traps are, it should be easy getting a tebo through to the end. And I doubt even the Hork-Bajir down there can handle a pig that big and hard to see.”

“Another one of your suggestions, obviously.” To think, just a week ago, he would have stuttered uncontrollably at the simple thought of getting involved or sharing his own plans. It was amazing how much he’d changed in the last week. Even when just talking to me, he seemed more relaxed and confident and to know that he’s actually jumping into the fight, once going in disrupting Controllers with a form as small and weak as a bowtruckle, even if he was still very nervous at the point, it was more than I’d ever thought he’d do in his lifetime. The old him was still there, he was still shy and a bit nervous, but he had so much more confidence and inner strength now. I wondered if he’d noticed just how strong and open he’d become.

And if he could grow so firm and strong in just a week, then I wondered just how strong he was going to become.

....

Not wanting to stick out with anything associated as irregular behaviour too much at the present time, I parted ways with Anthony as he went to guide Longbottom and McMillan to the hidden tebo. It was fortunate for them that I did, a Death Eater had been watching them, following the troublesome duo. If I hadn’t stepped in and distracted him with questions about the older methods of the Unforgivable Curses, he would have caught them breaking into the tebo’s little habitat and that would only spell trouble for us, in more ways than one. We did not need Longbottom and McMillan in lockdown again and I wasn’t going to just sit back and risk the same thing happening to Anthony either way. It worked out well, the man was happy to talk about the classic ways of torture, including his own tales in performing them. I will admit, it took all I had to keep my face blank and not punch this man in the nose.

Once I was certain that he would never find them, I thanked the Death Eater for his time before making my way to my common room. However, I barely entered the dungeons when a black and green blur shot right up to me, grabbed my arm and started dragging me back the way I came.

“Hello Blaise. Care to go for a flight around the Quidditch pitch?” Tilting my head, I raised an eyebrow, but made no move to stop Theodore from dragging me away, with the exception of turning around. He only took a few moments to lessen his pace, but he made no move to let go of my sleeve. That told me a lot, both relaxing me and making me curious. Something big had been said or done and Theodore felt the need to tell me right now, but it wasn’t due to any risk. If it was serious problem, he would have ran until we were in the masses of students before blending in to them. I was intrigued, he almost never got like this unless his secret was brought to close to light and that always came with carefully masked fear. This time around, though there was a bit of worry, there was also a flicker of excitement passing through his eyes.

Passing through the Entrance Hall and back out the door I’d only just come in through, off to the pitch, not a word was said. Even as we made it to the sports shed and grabbed a pair of the school’s lousy brooms, the only thing Theodore said was ‘this should be fun’, a line that turned sarcastic as he inspected the broom in his hand. They all needed replacing, it was a simple fact. When we were sure we’d found brooms that wouldn’t fail and drop us from fifty feet in the air, we exited the shed and took off straight into the air.

The pitch was basically deserted, only holding one pair of nervous Hufflepuffs using the stands as a quiet place to play with Gobstones and a Death Eater practically looming over them. There was no Quidditch competition this year, much to the increased sadness of just about everyone. The Carrows and Snape felt that such a treat and taste of freedom was more than most students deserved. Flying in general was almost completely out of the question, the House of Slytherin being the only one free to pick up a broom without express permission from one of the Carrows. Almost no one got it, and the few that did usually had to pay a price not worth making. Many of our housemates had taken to flying almost every day, rubbing it in the other students’ faces, but for once, the skies were free of all other brooms. A fact that made it even safer to talk freely in the higher altitudes.

Even as we rose, Theodore said nothing, only cheering as he zigzagged happily around a set of goal poles on his way up. Smirking at his antics, I opted for shooting up quickly, stopping with a loop twenty feet above the highest spectator stands and waiting for him to catch up.

If felt wonderful, moving with such speed, the wind blowing against my skin, making my hair and robes flap around. Flying was freedom. Even I smiled a little giddily at the sensation of soaring through the air, leaving the ground behind. I had already come to enjoy the levitation ability I’d gained from the pixie, but even it didn’t compare to the speed, height and manoeuvrability that came with true flight. Besides, I had yet to fully develop my control over my new power. I was simply grateful that my emotional control stopped me from levitating all around the school. It only seemed to happen when I let go, like when I’m asleep.

Still, my joy did wain a little after a moment. I still felt a little bound, restrained to the broom. As a pixie, I’d flown on my own wings, completely free of everything. It was such an amazing feeling, even without the excitable instincts. It made me long for the feeling again. I so wanted to morph the augurey and move through the air with speed and power the pixie could only dream of having. But for now, I couldn’t. Not just yet. Theodore didn’t know about that part of me. Not yet. Today, the broom would have to do.

I let him go for a while, simply flying along with him. It had been far too long since he was genuinely happy, I didn’t want to risk ruining it. Besides, I was enjoying myself too. Diving, rolling, looping, it was an adrenaline rush. Theodore was particularly fond of spiralling towards the ground before suddenly shooting straight up into the air. He was laughing the whole time.

I was lazily circling the pitch when he finally settled down enough to talk. Coming up beside me, still smiling a little, he let himself catch his breath and followed along.

“The Carrows are starting a junior Death Eater group. They reinstated the Inquisitorial Squad.” He started, a flicker of annoyance replacing his smile. “Just about every Slytherin in the top three years has been ‘invited’. Including you and me. We’ll probably need to steer clear of all of them now for a while.”

I frowned hard at that. By refusing to join, we were essentially refusing the Dark Lord’s will. That in itself was very dangerous. To not go and join the Death Eaters was one thing. To refuse an invitation was quite another. Theodore was already risking that being claimed, what with having such a high ranked Death Eater for a father and not pledging loyalty to his father’s master. To do it again, more openly...he may need the active protection I asked of the DA much sooner than I thought.

“Still, I suppose it could be used to our advantage.” Theodore shrugged, sinking lower onto his broom before smiling and bringing himself into a loop. “Those idiots are loud mouths and are epic failures at moving around stealthily. It’ll be much easier to learn the Death Eaters’ plans around here.”

“An accurate statement.” I conceded, frowning a little harder in thought. This still complicated things for us, including in ways that Theodore could never predict on his own. Staying clear of such a group would only make us even bigger targets for infestation. Possibly the biggest of all the student body. And unlike me, Theodore didn’t know what to look out for, what to be fearful of.

“Better start thinking up your refusal speech. Oh yeah, and you better not have lost that parchment.” Theodore called back with a grin as he sped up a bit. “That took a lot of research and I’d rather it not be lost or found. Could save or complicate lives even more, that could.”

“Parchment?” I queried, staring at him confusedly, only to get a laugh in return as he took off. What did he mean, what parchment was...the thought came to an instant stop as my robe hit my arm and a very distinct crinkle met my ears. “That little sneak.” I commented amusedly as I came to a halt and pulled it out. He must have put it in my pocket when he grabbed my arm. I didn’t even notice!  
The sheet was blank, but a simple wave of my wand and silent revelation spell had ink spreading across the page like spider webs into neat, cursive letters. The whole thing was full, describing a series of wards and barrier spells. As well as every counter spell needed to dispel every single one of them.

‘Well, well.’ I thought, smirking at Theodore, far more than a little impressed. ‘He’s good. I’m sure Longbottom and the others will definitely appreciate these.’


	13. Ernie

My name is Ernie McMillan. And I was currently dealing with one of the most frustrating situations I’d had all year.

It had been a good few days since we’d all been released. Coming to breakfast that next morning had been an interesting experience. We had expected the DA to grow excited when they saw us and rush our way. We had expected the mix of intense loathing and disappointment on the Carrows’ faces when they were forced to give us back our wands. No one had caught us last night. I wasn’t sure why they didn’t just give us detention anyway, seeing as there was no doubt that we weren’t in our dorms after curfew, but I guess they were either being prevented by the rest of the staff, or they were too dumb to think of it. Either way, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

What did surprise us, and irritated the Death Eaters even more, had been when almost everyone from three different houses got up and cheered at the sight of us too. Seriously, they wouldn’t have been more excited if Dumbledore and Harry walked through the door with an army behind them. Countless people had gotten onto their feet, stomping, banging the table and cheering as loudly as they could, ignoring all the Death Eaters completely as they tried to force everyone back into submission. Of course, the Carrows’ fury only doubled at the sight and you could tell that they longed to torture us for undoing months of work, beating the student body into their oppression, but what could they do? We’d done nothing but stand there and an attack on us in any way, sudden detention included, would have just caused a revolt that they had no way of handling. After all, even now the three allied Houses held the dominant number of the castle’s population and none of the other teachers would help the Death Eaters stop us. Better trained or not, they could never handle that much magic coming at them at once. Even first years knew basic flipping and fire spells. 

Of course, the Carrows have been trying harder to break our spirits and force us into conforming ever since, but you know, good luck with that. Pain and cruelty only fuels rebellion and forces those hurt to grow stronger at the end of the day.

Still, it was enough for us to understand that we should stay off the radar for a little while. The last thing we needed was another week in the dungeons, or worse. Besides, considering what we were planning, it was best that we waited for the chance to cause the most chaos.

And it didn’t take long to get just that. One meeting with the DA made it clear: they wanted more action and they wanted it now. We were happy to give it to them. We still had to be careful with what we were doing, we couldn’t let the number of Death Eaters in Hogwarts grow out of control, but three quarters of the student body was growing wilder already, even timid first years, after the portrait crisis and our return, plus extra chaos would forever cause more stress for the Yeerks trying to find safe hosts and disrupt plans we may not even know were there. With them in the picture, we couldn’t afford to hold back our risks as much anymore. 

Cautious of the Controllers in our ranks now, we gave specific members certain jobs to do that only they would know about. Ginny, how was far beyond me, had managed to sneak in an absolutely huge load of gifts from her twin brothers. There were a lot of different toys, but most of them were sound related or restricted mobility. Some caused smells so rancid that they made you sick, others, specifically made for rebels in these dark times, would have the victims itching frantically for days. 

Nothing would go off right away. Spells Michael and Terry were going around teaching the group would have everything set randomly. Even those who set it wouldn’t know exactly when it would go off. The bad side was that some of it was going to hit our side, maybe even DA members, but we were careful that there was no chance of that happening with the really bad stuff. That way, it only added to the chaos, questioning whether it was really us or Slytherin pranksters that did it. 

We did however, set up one major confrontation. One that Fay and Terry were keen to join in on. One that would actually start with them getting torture detention. 

They got it pretty quickly too, not that it surprised anyone. An open attack on a Death Eater and they were in as targets together. And once we knew the day and time, we set a lot of Weasley gadgets to go off exactly then in almost every class and a lot of DA members were positioned to create smoke and panic. This was going to cost us something, but to get the upper hand on the parasites, it was worth it. 

That only left our plans for actually down in the chambers. That was where it got harder. It was decided that only Zabini, Anthony and I were going down. It was risky enough with just the three of us. For the plan’s guaranteed success, we needed one of us to be in a powerful, dangerous form, but at the same time, we couldn’t be seen, expected or trapped in the series of defences the Yeerks had set up. Naturally, the tebo Hagrid had oh, so luckily acquired was the perfect choice, but actually getting safely into its enclose, acquiring it and, most difficulty, getting back out was a real challenge for me. I almost got gutted! It was only Anthony’s rune work painted on my back causing a split second of resistance to it that I survived. 

Getting that power porker however, still left the initial bout of chaos needed in the chambers, as well as our only way of pulling a lot of the blame of this event off of the DA. And unfortunately, Neville dragged me along when he and Anthony started tracking down Peeves.

“Are we sure that this is a great idea?” I asked, scowling down the hallway to the trophy room as we followed the mad cackling and creaking furniture. “He’s a poltergeist! A creature created from and caring only about causing large quantities of chaos. He could turn on us in an instant. There’s nothing we can say or do that would make him loyal to us.”

“True, but we’re using that to our advantage, in a way, to begin with.” Neville replied as Anthony bit his lip, frowning stubbornly. “Peeves’ lack of allegiance to anyone will make it so they never ask a single question. They’ll just yell at him. And if they see him bringing in joke gadgets that include time delays, we can make everything about to happen in the castle look like his doing without him even knowing he’s helping us.”

“Until they’re suspicious as to where he got contraband in the first place.” I muttered under my breath. I didn’t trust Peeves’ involvement in this plan in the slightest. He’s the biggest loose end and loose mouth we could possibly go to. But even so, the others were set on the plan and it was too late to change it now. All the gadgets were in place and set to go off, Terry and Fay had already given us their wands and been herded towards the Dark Arts classroom and our free period was almost over. Changing the plan now would make it far trickier and riskier to get safely into the chambers. Not to mention that our distraction would have risked bringing more Death Eaters to Hogwarts for nothing. With all the open defiance we were producing with one enemy, we had to make progress with the other.

Entering the trophy room, my mood only grew more irritable with the spook as my foot hit a tripwire and dropped a bucket of sludge down at me. Fortunately, I stumbled, so most of it hit the ground, but plenty still rebounded all down my side. And let me tell you, it wreaked! 

“Aww, man that stinks!” Anthony hacked, covering his face with his hands, Neville gulping loudly and scrunching his face up in disgust as he backed away from me.

“Oh really, I couldn’t tell.” I snapped sarcastically, flicking it off my shoulder. The stuff was seeping right through my robe, my shirt and right down to my skin. And I didn’t have any time for a bath. Joy.

“HAHAHAHA! Been playing in the pigsty, ickle badger boy?” Peeves’ voice echoed off every wall as he zipped about over our heads, laughing uproariously. With his speed and transparency, it was hard to follow him. And of course, the second I lost track of him, he swooped down, grabbed some of his slime from the floor and dumped it into my hood before pulling it up over my head. A pair of sharp intakes of breath and even more hysterical laughter crashed into my ears at the same time slime flopped through my hair and down my face and neck, continuing on down my torso. 

Sealing my lips tight and glaring at the ground, I silently counted to ten and then upped it to thirty. I had to stay calm. I had to stay calm. If I screamed and raved, I’d draw more attention to us. Stay calm. Stay bloody calm!

“Well, that was...very amusing Peeves.” Neville started, giving me a flinching, apologetic grin as I leered at him. Seriously, could he watch his words? I did not need another helping of this crap! My hair already felt like cement was drying in it, my skin was stained green and I smelled worse than a pile of crap! Not to mention, the slime was starting to sink into my boxers! “You definitely have a flare for mischief.” Really Neville, really?

“Ooh, the big bad, Bigbottom is giving me a compliment. What, a day, what a day.” Peeves laughed on, gliding in fast and low again. “Well then here, don’t be left out of the fun.” Neville didn’t even get a second before the huge grin was right in his face and blowing a handful of powder all over him. Neville was howling in an instant, his body jerking around as his hand scratched at every inch of him. Itching powder. 

It only took him a moment to end up on the floor, his body moving into the most bizarre positions and, you name it, he scratched it. I couldn’t help but snort at the sight, despite my own predicament. It was hilarious. And besides, he kind of deserved it with his choice of words.

“Oh, look at him go!” Peeves snickered, gliding all around again before coming to a stop to watch the show. He looked both of us over with maniacal satisfaction before moving on to his next target. “Ooh, the ‘notice-me-not’ birdie prefect! Don’t worry, you get a turn too. How about hanging off the door by a wedgie?”

“Try it and I’ll take away my offer for far more exciting opportunities.” Anthony exclaimed, stunning me with just how firmly that came out. Even Peeves was shocked still as he stared up at him, his face so feral and vicious that I almost swore that he’d started morphing the wolverine. “Now, behave and hear us out for five minutes and you’ll have the time of your life in twenty. Irritate me now and I’ll put all my frustration to use by tracking down the Bloody Barron and convincing him to never leave you alone for the next ten years. And you know that I could convince him.”

That stopped the transparent pain in the butt cold. I wasn’t sure just how much truth there was behind that threat, but it didn’t really matter. Peeves was terrified of the Barron and he’d just discovered how much he’d underestimated Anthony. It wasn’t like Filch’s threats and tantrums, Anthony was firm and promising repercussions, with a look and tone that guaranteed his belief in following through with the threat.

Still, it didn’t last long before the first line registered in his head. You could tell the exact instant it did, Peeves growing a smile so huge it took up half of his face. “What’s this? The little baby Prefect has something fun for me? This I gotta see.”

“Yes, we do.” He stated matter of factly, calmly taking out his wand and vanishing my slime with a simple wave before finally putting an end to Neville’s dramatic itching and squawking.   
Taking a few deep breaths, though still scrunching up his nose at the smell unfortunately lingering on me, Neville pulled himself to his feet and stared the poltergeist right in the eyes with a smug looking smirk of his own.

“We heard that Death Eaters are using the chambers under the third floor. You know, the forbidden corridor?” He started, his smirk growing happier as Peeves tilted his head with a look of intrigue.

“You don’t say.” The spook asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I haven’t been down there for such a long time. No point, no one was there.”

“Well now it seems to be a meeting place for the people they’re putting under their control. They’ve set up a lot of guards and traps too, from what we’ve heard. The kind that are funny to watch people fall into.” Neville went on, his voice growing more and more enticing. “We want to mess with them down there, but we have no chance of getting in. So, we were hoping you’d enjoy the chance to make some strife. And if you agree, we’ve got a whole box of useful stuff that will make it a blast for you. What do you say?”

“That sounds delightful!” Peeves cackled, absolutely giddy. “Ya got a deal, Bigbottom! Now we’re’s this box, gimie, gimie, gimie!”

“It’s behind the statue just outside the room with the trapdoor.” Neville answered, cackling along with him. “Just remember to have fun and hit every chamber down there.”

“Oh sure! A place in Hogwarts without chaos? Why, those chambers are begging for me to pay a visit! HAHAHAHAHA, here I come boys!” With that, Peeves blew raspberries in each of our faces before shooting off like a rocket, faster than I’d ever seen him move.

“You realise that he’s going to hit that place in like a minute now, right?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I hit our oh, so brainy leader over the back of the head. “You should have waited to tell him where that box was!”

“Uh, yeah, my bad.” Neville flinched, giving us sheepish looks as Anthony shook his head and I crossed my arms accusingly. “But it’s not too bad, the Dark Arts class is about to start now anyway. We just need to get into positions faster.”

“Like instantaneously?” I retorted, grabbing Anthony by the arm and rushing out the door. “Come on, we’ve got to get to the opposite side of the floor.” 

....

By the time we reached the forbidden corridor, a lot of alarms were already screeching all over the place, causing an instant panic as students and teachers alike grabbed their ears and ran desperately in every direction. Not that it did them any good. We’d set them up all over the castle, in every used hallway and classroom. It took a great deal of time and Gemini Curses, but the results spoke for themselves. By the time you exited one’s range, you already well within another’s. 

Clamping my hands over my own ears, I stepped up my pace, Anthony doing the same behind me. The alarms were only the first to start, a warning for everyone involved to get ready, either in plain sight of authority figures or ready for their own next part in this. In only a minute, the rest of the time delay charms would start to reach the end of their course and release everything from darkness powder to fireworks. By the time the Gemini Curse alarm duplicates faded away, few people were going to know which way was up and we did not want to get caught in that.

“I see you lost control of Peeves.” Zabini greeted uncaringly as we dived behind an old tapestry just a little down the hallway from the trapdoor’s room. He was already there, leaning against the wall and watching as a few Controllers came coughing and spluttering our way from the trapdoor, screaming as the blaring alarms hit their ears and bolting far away. It was amazing that we heard Zabini at all, he must have placed a muffling charm on the tapestry. The blaring wasn’t nearly as painful there.

“And you thought he’d ever do as he was told, why?” I retorted, only getting a shrug in return.

“Our window of opportunity will start to close soon. I suggest we get started a little early.” He stated, already shrugging off his clothes. 

“Oh, this going to be fun.” Anthony groaned, pouting, but still taking his own clothes off all the same, though he was much more hesitant about it. Not that I could judge him for it, I even felt a bit worried for him now. All the tools given to Peeves were created using the Gemini Curse. Such duplicates, like all conjured items, only last so long before they fade away. It was actually Zabini’s idea, to lessen the risk and loss of advantages the products resulted in for Anthony’s jobberknoll morph. By the time we were supposed to head in, they’d have already started slowly fading, weakening the affects. Now, he was going to have to handle the full extent for a while. 

Following their lead, I stripped down myself before shoving my outer robe back over me and slowly following the others back out to the full blast of the of the horns just in time to hear the screams over them, indicating the next load of surprises had made their appearance. 

Moving along the wall, we crept low and hid amongst the dusty, web covered statues and furniture as the last few lollygaggers stumbled their way out of the trapdoor and scampered down the corridor, only to get a face full of soot as they reached the end. Not giving them the chance to turn back around, we sprinted right into the room and closed the door with an unheard snap. Taking out his wand, Zabini filled the cracks in the doorway with a sticky, glue-like substance. It was something no one wouldn’t suspect of being anyone but Peeves’ work and would buy us more time in case the others didn’t get in place.

“Ok, so how do we get down there?” I asked, glad the room had been set with silencing charms. My ears were thanking the Yeerks the instant that the door was shut, though my nose was not, for the smell coming from the trapdoor was twice as bad as the one still covering me. Looking down the hole, I did see some stairs, but they were small and unfinished. Rushing down would only get us killed.

“Wingardium Leviosa!” Was all the response I got from Anthony before I cried out, my feet leaving the ground. Turning to him with an exasperated look, he only gave me a slightly sheepish one in return as Zabini grabbed him around the waste and started floating himself, a look of deep concentration etched over his face.

“We must be quick. I’m not used to doing this.” He grunted, already moving the pair of them towards the hole in the floor. Anthony only nodded in response and slowly moved his wand, directing me down with them.

“Careful!” I whisper shouted as we went down only for Anthony to bang my knee against a stone shard sticking out of the wall. Anthony gave me an apologetic look from within his hood and pulled me closer to centre if the room in response, but said nothing. He was practically dropped as we reached a ledge near the bottom, the sudden lack of Zabini’s grip causing him to jerk me around a little bit, but other than that, the rest of the trip down was fine. Breathing a bit more raggedly than before, Zabini jumped off the ledge to another and slipped down into an alcove just above the ground, Anthony following close behind. I on the other hand, couldn’t help but take a moment to look around at the near maze-like rock formations reaching out above, below and all around me. 

Six years ago, these arches and catwalks had been covered with well cared for Devil’s Snare by my Head of House. A deadly first trap hidden with the dark and cold that would entangle itself around any unsuspecting wizards and witches who fell down this way before they could ever hope to react. It was a genius move, the simple defence against this plant being neutralised by the sheer amount of it hidden in the dark. Simple, straightforward, but very effective, practically the motto of my House. Professor Sprout had done our House proud in this chamber.

And it was the first real challenge for the Golden Trio the night they and Quirrell came down here. A major point in the future records of history. Of course I’d want to get a good look at it, just once.

“Ernie!” Still, there wasn’t time for anymore than just that one look. Bringing myself back to the present, I shook my head and followed the others to find that their outer robes had already been folded and shrunk, covered with a water-resistant charm and bearing their wands as the two them grew fur and feathers. Shrugging my own robe off my shoulders, I quickly placed the same charms on them and began my own morph, moving further out towards the more open space and praying that no one came from the area as I did. I required bit too much room to hide myself correctly. 

I focused on the Tebo as hard as I could, forcing the speed of my transition to go as fast as possible. Morphing in the first chamber was necessary for me due to the tebo’s size and abilities, but it was also the riskiest moments in our plan, more so than anything we’d ever done before. It could expose us as not only knowing about the Yeerks, but as humans with Andalite morphing power, which would in turn expose our American allies. This one move could risk the entire war.

In retrospect, I should have realised that earlier and removed the risk. If something did go wrong, we’d just have to hope the others got in place and dealt with it for us. 

My body quickly grew, more than doubling in bulk before even one other change began, making me look like a bloody sumo wrestler and getting me a snicker from Zabini. And of course, it was my face that changed after that. My nose flattened and expanded, forming the signature snout of a pig. My mouth grew outward while my canines stretched and thickened, curving out into tusks. My ears lengthened and rose up my head just as my whole body started growing fur. 

The rest of my body kicked in after that. My torso bloated again and reshaped to that of a boar’s while I felt the disconcerting sensation of my organs stretching themselves. My elbows and knees shifted and rotated, causing me to fall on all fours just before my tailbone uncurled and grew out, the resulting tail already covered in fur and starting to curl slightly upward at the end.

Before long, I looked like a full grown tebo in prime, perfect condition...except for the fact that I still had human hands and feet. As my fingers and toes did finally fuse together, I had to fight the urge to flop down. It probably would have been the wiser move though, the constant shifting left me forever knocked off balance. Still, once that was done, I was perfectly fine. The instincts kicked in with a snap, but I had no issue controlling them. I’d already morphed this big porker a few times. I needed to know that I could control not only its instincts, but its powers right off the bat and it was lucky I did practice. The ability to turn invisible? It took three hours worth of practice learning to control it. Turning invisible was simple enough with the tebo’s instincts’ help, but retaining it was another story entirely. Before I mastered it, I kept fading in and out, or having individual body parts turn visible. Seamus still goes on about how weird it was watching a tail bobbing around after a snout. 

/Ok, let’s get this party started./ I called, only waiting long enough to pull the pile of wood and fabric onto my tongue before turning around. Concentrating, my formed faded right out of existence in an instant, leaving me safe to slowly follow Anthony and Zabini as they flew and ran ahead. 

/Anthony, allow me to enter first./ Zabini said cautiously, increasing his pace. /I can hear voices and we do not know exactly what was used in this chamber. Allow me to gauge the level of issue your form will have first./

/Alright./ Was Anthony’s only response, altering his route into a circle as the jarvey charged through the doorway. Straining my ears, I listened for the voices and almost growled at the hoarse, gravelly coughs and exclamations I didn’t understand. Those were Hork-Bajir. Which made sense, they were trapped down here if the passageway to the Chamber of Secrets hadn’t been made useable yet. They couldn’t run around the school, they’d be spotted in an instant.

Though I could tell, even from back there, that they weren’t handling the situation well. Their coughs were out of control and on the rare moment that they did speak, their voices were rattled, shaky, weak. Whatever Peeves had used in there had a very bad reaction on the aliens.

/Coughing gas, irritation mist and sticking sludge. There’s a burnt smell in the air too, probably fire crackers./ Blaise reported, sound a fair bit discomforted himself. /The gas and mist isn’t too thick and is hanging close to the ground, so Anthony should be able to fly safely over it. The mist is causing very painful looking rashes on these creatures and many are suffering severe coughing fits. I’m coughing too, and my body is starting to get painful itches, but I can manage for a few minutes. Be cautious of the sludge./

/I know, even I’d need a spell to escape from that stuff./ I responded, snorting irritably before heading in. I kept my pace slow while Anthony flew high overhead.

/Ernie, move to your left a bit as soon as you’re past the door./ Anthony called down, not that I needed him to. Tebos had a pretty good sense of smell, even through the gases in the air, I could smell the pile of sludge long before I’d step in it. 

The real trick was the Hork-Bajir. They were screaming and coughing all around me and the mist caused rashes had them jumping around erratically. I was invisible, but not intangible, they could easily touch me and I had no idea how they were going to move next.

Then there was my own reaction to the gases. The mist didn’t do much to me, the tebo seemed to be resistant to it, but the coughing gas was another story. Every few seconds, a snort or gasp was forced from my mouth or snout and Hork-Bajir had really good hearing. It was only their own distractions and cries that masked mine, but if one were to notice the significantly deeper, more animalistic sounds, that could be a very big problem.

‘I better move quick.’ I had a slight advantage just a little ahead, one of the Hork-Bajir was spluttering and swinging around like crazy, hanging upside down. His foot was caught in a rope snare. All the others were keeping their distance so as not to lose their heads, but I had no problem creeping underneath it. Unfortunately, with less Hork-Bajir around, there was less noise near my vicinity and I could feel my nose itching painfully. I was going to snort any second.

/G-guys! Distraction!/ I cried, desperately trying to hold it back. This was not going to work nearly long enough!

Fortunately, Zabini didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he slunk and weaved quickly through the crowd off a little to my side. 

“BOOM!” If I hadn’t seen a jarvey scream before, I would have been sure Zabini had some vocal enhancement charms in place. In the echoing, high ceiling passage, his shout was well on its way to comparing with a firing cannon.

“BAAA!”

“GARRF!”

“ARGH!” Bam! That one scream startled every Hork-Bajir near him, amplifying their sporadic movements so much that they started slamming into each other. The mighty shock troops of the Yeerk Empire were reduced to slapstick clowns. And this after Azkaban, where they were deployed only to be immediately defeated by Dementors. They didn’t have a good track record with the magical world. 

“Hahaha! Little blade freaks all fall down!” Zabini jeered, running out of the way as they fell into the most lethal pile you’ll ever see. I wasn’t sure if it was simply the Jarvey instincts having their fun or if he was genuinely trying to act like Peeves, but either way, the Hork-Bajir weren’t questioning it. In fact, when they could control themselves for a second, they spent it wildly looking around the room in fear, half expecting the poltergeist to come flying out of the wall. 

‘I could use that.’ I mused as I finally let the louder than normal snort escape. The hanging Hork-Bajir stop writhing at that and stared right down my way, but I stopped him from doing anything else. Swinging my upper body up as high and fast as I could, slammed my head into the back of his. If he’d looked any more dazed after that shot as he swung around and snapped the rope, finally crashing into the ground, you’d assume he was overdosed on something.

Bearing in mind that this chamber was the one containing sinkhole spells, I waited for Blaise to jeer again from near my feet and charged right through the fading mist and ploughed into two Hork-Bajir’s sides with the top of my head. 

“AARRR!” Both screamed as one crashed down and rolled away, only to scream again as another rope trap hung him by his arm while the other sunk right into the ground.  
/Oh, look at that. Peeves is still here./ I called smugly. /After all, what other invisible force could knock these guys flying down here?/

/We get it./ Zabini replied irritably. Despite the gas and mist’s interference, he immediately took to sniffing me out and moved in close. “Let’s try bowling!” He cried, just as another three Hork-Bajir stumbled around ahead of me. I wasted no time pulling up the speed and slammed into them all, careful not to let my tusks touch them. Peeves doesn’t have anything pointy and he can’t make items invisible with him after all. 

We kept it up a few more times, though most cases only had me striking one Hork-Bajir. Still, with Anthony’s eyes still useless down below, the flying bodies were invaluable. Many Hork-Bajir stuttered and stumbled into traps on their own and a lot of my targets did the same, letting me know when to turn or keep running straight. 

Once we got into the rhythm, crossing the chamber quickly and safely was no problem at all. And none of them suspected a thing, they were still looking around for the insane poltergeist. When they weren’t coughing or moaning over their still growing skin irritations.

/Anthony, be ready to dive./ Zabini ordered, slinking through the door. Following him close behind, I stopped completely and stared, dumbstruck.

Anthony had told us about the chess pieces still being in place, that was cool. But what really shocked me, and Zabini too I think, was what Peeves had done. Half the war pieces had been knocked down. The white king had both his and the white queen’s swords skewered through him. And most of the others were struggling to move, both them and large portions of the floor covered in slime and slug. In the middle of the chessboard was a swamp, exactly like the one that Weasley twins created in the upper corridors almost two years ago. 

/I think we gave Peeves a little too much stuff./ I commented as I looked around. Finding a completely clear path to the next door was going to be impossible.

/What was your first clue?/ Zabini drawled, taking a few hesitant steps onto the board, never taking his eyes off the nearest piece, a pawn, swinging its blades and trying to move passed a trail of sludge. His body relaxed a moment later when the piece ignored him completely. /Good, they won’t come at us. The spells used in them must have triggered when Peeves attacked them./

/Come on in, Anthony./ I called after a moment more of observing, confident that everything done here had been accounted for. /At least you have it lucky. No gases./

/Oh, thank Merlin!/ Anthony exclaimed breathlessly, as a blue blur shot right over me, passed the chessboard and came to rest on the ground just before the door. /Though that doesn’t look good./ He added, looking all over the scene. 

/For McMillan, no./ Zabini agreed, already running full speed over the board. Reaching large, thick streaks of sludge, he thrust himself into the biggest jumps that he could, climbed his way up the guarding pieces without any fear of being struck and dived clear to the other side. Using a fallen bishop’s sword as a springboard, he ended his journey with a flight, landing gracefully right next to Anthony. 

/Great, superb. Now how do I get across?/ I grumbled as Zabini turned back in my general direction, a smug look crossing his furry face.

/You don’t really have much choice./ Anthony called nervously. I could see his head turning in every direction again and again, though it was pointless. With that form’s magic, everything was ingrained in his memory already. /You’ll have to barrel a few pieces down and hope they can’t attack back./

Great. Just great. Whatever Peeves had done had already set them off and I was expected to be hostile. Oh, how I wished that the others could demorph and help me. I had their wands and their morphs probably couldn’t do a thing to solid stone, but they could distract them, lessen the number aiming to make sausages out of me. 

‘Stop whining. Life’s not fair, get over it.’ I snapped at myself, tensing my body and looking around for the best route. I didn’t have time to complain and there was no way the others could risk demorphing here, especially in sight of anyone who fought through Peeves’ fun. I either had to do this alone or give up on them and wait for them here and I’d never do that. I was seeing this through to the end, protecting them every step of the way. No matter what.

Moving three squares to my left, I set myself to bolt, waited for the black rook to move in line with me...and charged as fast as I could. Moving in the same direction I was, it wouldn’t have had a chance to attack me before I struck, even if it knew I was there and perceived me as a threat. Taking a leap right at the end of my charge, I crashed all my force and weight into its middle and, its own momentum assisting me, sent it crashing down with a horribly loud, echoing BANG! Its weapon slid across the floor upon impact and it land with its upper body in the sludge, sticking it in place and making a very convenient bridge across Peeves’ mess for me. With its bulk, I had no problem keeping myself balanced as I walked over it.

The only problem was that the attack on one piece had the rest of them coming my way. I was fortunate with most of them, the sludge trails were everywhere and sealing them away from me, but two bishops, a knight and three pawns still blocked my path and all their blades were drawn.

/Ernie, move now!/ By the time Anthony had shouted, I was already weaving passes the first pawn as fast as I could, the bloody thing quickly becoming a tailgater. It didn’t matter that I was invisible, they didn’t actually see anything through eyes. They knew exactly where I was.

My problems only got worse as the knight and a bishop quickly joined in. Moving just as they would in a chess match, the knight got right up beside me and would have pierced my heart if I hadn’t dropped my belly onto the ground only to have to scramble away as the bishop slid by, trying to slash my head open along the way.

/Guys, what do I do?/ I cried, panicking as I leaped back up and ran, the other bishop and two pawns already trying to make a barricade. /In case there’s any doubt, these blades are ONLY A HAIRS WIDTH FROM ME!/ 

/Move between them./ Zabini exclaimed. You could almost hear him roll his eyes. 

/Um hi, in case I wasn’t clear, I’M ALREADY THERE!/ I snapped, hyperventilating as the pawn behind me struck my leg with the flat side of his blade. 

/No, he means while they’re close to each other./ Anthony stated quickly, sounding as scared as I was. /Their strikes are sloppy, if you can get them close to each other while they’re attacking, they should take themselves out./ 

/Oh, how simple!/ I growled sarcastically, circling around the tailgating pawn. Still, it was all I had, I had to give it a shot and now was the best time. The pawn had its swords out and had its back to me. So I rammed it as hard as I could right before it could turn and pushed it just within reach of the pawn/bishop barrier. I guess they detected me closeby, for the bishop, the pawn I was pushing and a second pawn all swung their blades the instant they were close enough to hit.

BANG! BOOM!

Within an instant, the pawn I’d pushed had been shattered, the bishop had lost its arm, its blade clattering across the floor, and the third was barrelled backward with a sword piercing straight through its head. I didn’t have time to enjoy the sight of my victory though, for the knight and other bishop quickly slid up behind me, preparing to run me through. So, I ran right through the newly made gap in the barricade just as an arm and three deadly blades came my way. My fur was ruffled and my shoulder took a slight knick, but other than that, I made it clear of them while they destroyed the bishop. After that, the debris and sludge acted like the perfect obstacle course for me, giving me all the time I needed to escape. When my last foot left the board, they stopped moving completely. I was safe. 

/Well, that was fun./ I groaned, panting heavily. My shoulder was complaining more insistently now too, I guess the wound was deeper than I’d thought. Still, I made it. Now I just needed a minute to catch my breath. 

/Let’s hope they stay immobile on the way back./ Anthony muttered, sounding just as relieved as I felt. I knew from experience that it’s not easy for anyone to know and see their friends in danger and be powerless to stop it. It’s probably the most horrible feeling I’ve ever experienced.

/As long as we don’t attack, neither should they./ Zabini said uncaringly. /We’re not human right now, without an assault, nothing about us triggers their spells./ He didn’t even wait for me to recover, he simply turned and ran through the door as fast as he could. 

/MERLIN! What the bloody hell did you give that psychotic nut?/ Zabini’s shout had both of us jumping right out of our skin, the jarvey boy streaking straight back out the door, gagging the whole way, before I could even build up any resentment towards him for leaving me. His whole body jerked as he sucked in deep breaths. /I thought that room smelled foul before!/ 

/Looks like we found the stink pellets./ Anthony whimpered, getting a sharp, ‘you’re complaining?’ look from Zabini. Amazing that he could pull it off on the face of an oversized ferret. /Name a foul smelling animal and I’m pretty sure the Weasley twins made a pellet based on it./

/And apparently enhanced it fifty times over./ Zabini snarled, his body still shuddering. /The stench is stuck in my nostrils!/ 

/Well, it was meant to clear a room./ I mentally shrugged, ignoring the look I got in return. /Just hold your breath and hope we get across quick./

/Easy for you to say./ Anthony muttered pitifully, opening his wings. /I have small lungs and have to power flap. I’m gonna die in there./

Neither if us responded to that, we simply took the deepest breaths we could and charged.

But of course, it used to hold a giant mountain troll, the place was hardly a small one. I wasn’t even halfway through the room before my lungs wouldn’t hold it any longer and forced me to exhale. And of course, as soon as that happens while you’re running, you have to inhale.

/OH SHIT, THAT’S HORRIBLE!/ I was a pig, a PIG, and even I instantly felt a very forceful urge to puke the instant I sucked in air. No wonder the Controllers fled so fast, that the Hork-Bajir were taking their chances with the mist and coughing gas. If I was human, this stench would have knocked me out in a second.

/Oh, now you notice./ Anthony grumbled, sounding as miserable as he did sarcastic. /It isn’t any better up here either, you know./ 

/Oh my GOD! What horrible mutation of deadly odours did those guys make. I am going to have Ginny have a word with them./ It only got worse as I ran, I couldn’t control my gag reflex. 

If we’d been expecting any relief in the next two chambers, we were horribly disappointed. Peeves had no doubt run out of sludge, slime and the like long before reaching there, but he’d saved every noisemaker, stink gas and half the fireworks for here. Some of the fireworks were even still going on, causing a little bit of damage everywhere, covering the walls and flat surfaces in scorch marks.

RIIIINNNNNNGGGGG!

/AUGH! I am going to die!/ Anthony screamed, plummeting to the floor and pressing his head to the side of the pedestal in the centre of the room and raising his wing protectively over his nose the moment he entered the last chamber. /I am going to have perfect memory of this and everything I’m feeling because of it for the rest of my life! This memory is going to physically hurt for years to come!/

/Normally I’d say you were exaggerating. As it is, I’m not going to argue./ Zabini said irritably, starting to demorph the moment he looked around and confirmed that we were well and truly alone. I was envious of that. At that moment, lousy human senses of smell and hearing sounded better than fire whiskey. 

/Change back Anthony. We’re safe. You’ll be better off./ Anthony only pressed his head harder against the pedestal and his wing, which I couldn’t help noticing had a few burnt feathers at the tips, but he complied a moment later, quickly growing in size and losing his beak. 

Knowing it wasn’t the wisest move to change back myself, I just let my focus go and regained my visibility, carefully dropping our stuff onto the ground as I watched the disturbing display before me. Touching the pile with my snout, I was pretty impressed to find everything more or less dry. It all was a little damp, the repellent charm could only do so much in a cavern full of dripping saliva, but it wouldn’t be too uncomfortable for the others. 

Finishing his morph first, Zabini strode over, grabbed his wand and returned the robes to their natural size before burying a hand into Anthony’s pockets and pulling out what looked like a small jewellery box. Throwing his own robe carelessly over his shoulder, he opened the box and pulled out a handful of our secret weapon. 

“You are confident that these will work?” He asked sceptically, holding up a single item and staring at it, unimpressed. 

/You never doubt the Weasley twins./ I answered shortly. We didn’t have time for an argument. Besides, we had tested them, ensuring that there was no faulty ones in the supply.

They were the newest alteration of the twins’ extendable ears, an invention that the Weasleys were rather proud of to begin with. However, these ones put the old ones to shame. Unlike before, there was no physical attachments required. Each set consisted of a pair of fleshy, ears the size of marbles, one to plant somewhere while the other stayed with you and allowed you to listen as if you were in the room yourself. Their range consisted of more than half the castle, so with a simple spell to activate them, we could listen in even from as far as the Room of Requirement. A simple colour change charm courtesy of Luna had them matching the stone around us and combining that with their small size and the slight altitude they were to be placed at around the chamber, there was no way the Yeerks would ever notice them.

Zabini still didn’t look convinced even as Anthony finished morphing and scurried for is robe, but set to work anyway. Though not before conjuring a face mask and some earplugs for himself and Anthony. Giving Zabini a thankful look, Anthony placed the sound and smell guards on before following his lead, Anthony sticking a few in place in down low, out of the way places while Zabini levitated himself up and stuck them in small nooks and cracks, all the better for concealment without sacrificing any sound absorption.

Meanwhile, I turned myself invisible again and suffered through the smell and obnoxiously loud screaming and ringing, heading over to the recently opened hole in the far wall and peering through. With all the disasters, sludge and smells in the earlier chambers, the new tunnel was a lot more likely to bring us unwanted company.

The others had been at it for five minutes when the Gemini curse had faded enough to halve the intensity of noise and stench in the place, something that had me more than just sighing in relief. However, with their decrease, a very troubling realisation practically slapped me in the face. The wailing had been covering the sounds of rapidly approaching, skittering feet and a string a screechy exclamations. 

/Guys, we’re about to have company./ I barked, immediately causing both boys to tense and turn my way. Anthony paled instantly, throwing his hood over his head. Zabini threw his hood up too, however, his face delved into a calculating look. 

“The tunnel doesn’t look too stable yet.” He stated, just loud enough for me to hear. Before anything else could be said though, our company turned the corner of the tunnel and moved into the light, revealing themselves to be four Taxxons. They made it to the tunnel exit in no time at all, but I had no problem with that. They could smell me, I was sure, but they had no idea what I was. They had no way of being prepared.

/Hold off for a moment./ I called back to the others, tensing my body. The Taxxons were too close, they’d get through before Zabini could cast a single spell and while we could defeat them pretty easily, it would reveal that we were here. So, I waited just until the first Taxxon made it to the entryway and surged forward. Before the Taxxon even knew what happened, it had a pair of deep piercings courtesy of my tusks halfway through the centre of its body.

“SCKREEAAAHH!” With another quick, forceful shove of my head, I tossed the screaming freak of a creature back and sent it tumbling into its brethren, all three of which were only too happy to eat it.

/Now!/ I called, immediately moving out of the way. Zabini didn’t even waste a second, by the time I was clear of the tunnel entrance, he was already thrusting his wand at it. A quick, sharp spell shot off as a white streak and struck the earth above the Taxxons’ heads. The beasts didn’t even have a chance to scream before part of the tunnel collapsed right on top of them. 

“Smart.” Anthony muttered, pulling the mask and earplugs away. The Gemini curses had run their course and while the ringing and smells weren’t gone completely, they were at least bearable now. “They Yeerks will think the Taxxons caused the cave in when they attacked each other.”

/And my own attack will be covered up on the remains by the others’ teeth./ I added proudly. /Nothing to suggest that we’d ever been here./

“So long as we leave unnoticed now.” Zabini responded coolly. “The pranks’ affects are all fading. The...Yeerks will return as soon as they realise this.”

/Well re-shrink your robes and lets go./ I exclaimed. Zabini didn’t respond, simply following my words. Anthony however, hesitated.

“One moment.” He called over his shoulder as he marched his way right up to the tunnel entrance. Raising his wand, he looked over the area for a moment before muttering under his breath and waving it around like paint brush.

Moving in for a closer look, both Zabini and I were surprised to see him painting runes, on both inner tunnel walls and on the ceiling, working very quickly, yet precisely, like he’d done these runes and connections a thousand times.

“Anthony, they will notice this.” Zabini muttered, inspecting every rune with a deep frown, like he was struggling to decipher them. He was right, though the runes had been made carefully small, there were a lot of them and the black ink stood out very well in the bright light of the chamber.

“No they won’t.” Was his only response. Looking over his last rune, he nodded in acceptance, validating it sufficient, before raising his wand over the entire area again and left us marvelling as the ink seemed to ripple like water and fade into a pale brown one shade lighter than the rock walls. Now, you could only see the runes if you knew what you were looking for. And probably where too. 

/What exactly will that do?/ I asked as a satisfied Anthony rushed over to where Zabini had placed his folded robe and joined his to the pile, quickly casting the shrinking charm again and setting down his wand before morphing.

“Nothing until it’s charged.” Anthony responded, looking very pleased as his whole body quickly became covered in feather pattern tattoos and turned three dimensional. “It’s just there for the day we want to end that tunnel. Those runes, if powered up enough, will cause a really strong earthquake through it and cave the whole thing.”

....

Heading back was much easier and bearable than the first trip. The smells, though still strong, particularly in the troll’s old chamber, were significantly weaker, the chess pieces had reformed and were standing in position, but none of them moved an inch while we crossed the board, and while the Hork-Bajir were still showing signs of the gas and mist’s effects, they had calmed down enough so as to stay in more or less the same place. Though, none of them were helping their allies out of the traps. It made a more or less safe passage through, even for me. 

It wasn’t until we made it back to the first chamber that we had anything to worry about. Like before, this was where it got really risky again. The Yeerks would be heading back to check the damage Peeves had done at any time, if the others weren’t in position...well, the only way out for me would basically guarantee being caught.

/Seamus, are you up there?/ I called just as the trap hole appeared in the distant ceiling. I started to grow worried when I got no response and moved a little to the side, out the way of anyone coming down. /Seamus?/

/I’ll see what’s up./ Anthony called tiredly, circling up the chamber lazily. I guessed that his wings were at the point of desperation again. Still, he was able to fly up and out into the dull, distant light.

/They’re here. There’s just a bit of excitement going on./ He called back down a moment later. The excitement troubled me a little, but it was fine, it just meant we were going with plan B getting out of here.

My form instantly became visible again as I dropped the pile in my mouth and started demorphing. Fur quickly disappeared, the crackling of shifting, shrinking bones met my ears, my snout shrunk back into my face, my tail sank back into my rear. 

While I shrank, Zabini grew right beside me, his limbs growing much faster than the rest of his body and his ears moving down his head. Neither of us were what anyone would call a pretty sight. 

As soon as we were both back to our normal states and robed, I picked up Anthony’s things and we turned our wands on each other.

“Winguardium Leviosa!” With almost synchronised swishes and flicks, we rose each other into the air, slowly and carefully moving each other around the rocks and ledges. It would have been quicker and easier if Zabini had levitated us up with his new, pixie DNA levitation, but unfortunately, while he could control the descent of large distances, he couldn’t make himself rise more than fourteen feet. So, we had to do it the old-fashioned way. 

About two thirds of the way up, our speed increased with a sudden jolt, startling us so much that Zabini’s eyes widened and I cried out. We’d already started moving each other as fast as we could long before then, so there was no way to explain how it happened. That is, until we looked up to see a blond and hooded figure pointing wands down at us. With two levitation charms on us each, it took no time at all to rise the rest of the way.

“Thanks guys.” I muttered gratefully, as my feet made it back onto the cold, stone floor. I really wanted my shoes back on, at the very least. Zabini simply nodded his thanks as we both moved out of the room and back to the tapestry hiding out clothes, scanning the area as we did. While Anthony and Luna helped us up, Seamus was watching the other end of the corridor like a guard dog, his wand poised to strike.

“Ya better be quick.” He called our way gruffly, barely turning an eyeball our way before it zipped right back to the hallway. “We’ve already stunned and memory wiped seven people coming this way. Best we don’t risk it again.”

Well, that only made me throw my pants and shoes on even faster. I just shoved the rest of it into Seamus’ bag, content to put it back on later, and shoved my hood over my head, Zabini doing more or less the same. Raising our wands, we waited until Seamus ensured that the coast was clear and took off as quickly and quietly as we could, not stopping until we’d reached the Room of Requirement. 

As the doors closed behind us, I sighed in relief. No matter what may or may not have gone wrong on Neville’s end, the mission was a success. We got in and out with no one the wiser, as long as those altered memories didn’t erase any significant moments that others could come back to bite us later. Now, all there was left to do, besides get the rest of my clothes back on, was wait for the others to join us.

I could use a bit of relaxation time while we waited. Especially since the room had created plenty of air fresheners and scented candles. I was never bagging on any guy using those wonderful aromas ever again.


	14. Neville

Pandemonium had broken out all over the school long before I made it to the Dark Arts classroom. Everywhere you looked, people were screaming, covering their ears from excruciating wails, running for their lives from fireworks exploding all over the place, struggling not to puke at the smells billowing through the hallways. No one had been spared, Death Eaters, DA, Controllers, teachers, students, everyone was struck by something. 

DA members in particular were putting on just a big of a show as the Slytherins and Death Eaters. They were deliberately getting covered in the worst of the sludge, singed by firecrackers, passing out from sleep powder, and were screaming about it, ensuring everyone knew it happened. Meanwhile, with the area surrounding the Slytherin Dungeons untouched, and with us having considered where most Slytherins would be right now, though they were being as uproarious about it, they’d been hit the least by far. Just a little trick Seamus thought would be useful for redirecting the blame.

The first part of Ginny’s plan was going off without a hitch. The only downside to it was that so many hallways were made tricky to cross and others were packed with panicking students, making it difficult not to get trampled on my way up to the classroom. 

“Look at my hair!” Ginny screamed, startling me. She’d appeared right out of nowhere. I couldn’t stop snickering as we continued pushing ahead, getting a reproachful look in return. Her hair was so full of slime that it looked pure, neon green. “Don’t you dare laugh at me! Do you know how long this will take to wash out? AUGH!”

“Oh, like you’re only one with problems!” I retorted, holding up my collar to reveal feathers growing out of my skin as a Death Eater tried to make his way to us through the throng of students only to be slowly dragged away. “At least you weren’t hit with metamorphic gunk! I’ll be shedding feathers for weeks!”

“AAHHH!”

“OH MERLIN! The smell!”

“Can’t...breathe.” Our little argument was cut short as we made it up the stairs only to stumble into a hallway filled with the most foul smell I’d ever had the displeasure to come across and a flood of sludge rolling down from the other side. This time, it was completely impossible to break from the crowd, not that we wanted to stay for that, and were swept off back the way we came. Reaching the top of the stairs, we finally wrenched ourselves from the masses and headed off through another corridor.

We had taken into account just how much trouble getting anywhere in these conditions was likely to take, but it still took a lot longer than we’d hoped to reach the room. At least for the two of us. By the time we reached the Dark Arts hallway, screams of spells and explosive lights were already all over the place. 

“WHAAA-OOOOPPPHHHFFF!” Ginny and I stopped dead in our tracks as Parkinson was flung out of the room by what looked like a whip wrapped around her torso, the leathery fabric unwinding and retreating as she rolled across the floor. An attack Hannah had grown particularly fond of. 

“STOP THEM!”

“AAHHH!”

“DUCK ALREADY!” More and more screams, these ones of pain, fury or defiance, as opposed to the rest of the school’s fear filled ones, bellowed through the damaged door as we joined in. Or went to, before deciding that we were of more use where we were.

The only prank contraptions put anywhere in this hallway were the sirens, but you’d think we’d added every destructive thing imaginable in the room. Broken tables were everywhere, chair legs were swinging around like Beater bats at more than half the room’s population and there were more bursts of light than there were when the Weasley twins struck the DA’s detention with a life-sized dragon made of fireworks. 

Most of the Hufflepuffs in the classroom, including a few DA members, along with the odd Ravenclaw, were ducking for cover in the corners, trying to stay safely out of the way. Rivers and the others weren’t close to Hannah or Terry’s league yet, so the best thing they could do was keep up the innocent act here. 

Hannah and Susan on the other hand, were pretending to be innocent whenever focus was on them and laying waste to all the Slytherins attempting to help Carrow at every instant that they could. The near constant movement of everyone in the classroom was the perfect cover for them to hit and run successfully undiscovered.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the room, Terry and Fay were on the warpath. Wanting to be an Auror, Fay had been learning every combat spell she could since second year and Terry had reflexes comparable to a professional dueller and an understanding of how to make even the most simple and harmless of spell useful in confrontation. Back-to-back, they made a deadly duo, causing chaos all around the room of unprepared, once cocky adversaries.

The Slytherins were having their butts handed to them. However, the Death Eaters were another story. In addition to Carrow, there were two other adult dark wizards watching over the room, which had apparently become a habit ever since Ernie and I busted a kid out of here over a week ago, and while Terry, Hannah, Susan and Fay were able to hold them back and distract them quite well, they still hadn’t managed to take the three down and Terry and Fay were slowly getting forced closer and closer to the far corner of the room. They’d soon be pinned. The four of them could probably take the Death Eaters on with a pretty good fight, but the Slytherins simply continued to get in the way and the Hufflepuffs revealing themselves, as they would to fight such highly trained fighters, would only cause more problems later. Of course, now that we were here and Padma and Lisa were moving in, opening a space in the crowds running nearby...

“Now!” I hissed already raising my wand, Ginny right in step with me. Ignoring the Death Eaters, we simultaneously shot reductor spells straight at the ceiling. None of our enemies even noticed them until they reached and struck the stone.

BOOM!

“AAHHH!” Fortunately for us, they did notice the resulting explosion and falling chunks of stone. We weren’t trying to kill after all. Panicking, almost everyone in the room turned their attention to the falling stones and shot spell after spell, stopping or obliterating each and every piece. And that left plenty of an opening for me and Ginny.

Casting silently I quickly shot flipping spells at Carrow and one Death Eater, catching them completely unaware, while Ginny struck the third with a jelly legs curse. Flipped off their feet and stumbling off balance, none of them were prepared as Ginny, Fay and Terry attacked with a stun charm and two bombardment curses, knocking all of them out, some more painfully than others. 

“Don’t mind us. Just keep working on that roof.” Terry grinned chipperly, swaggering his way out, passed just about every glaring Slytherin as they held up or destroyed stone plates. A little more of the ceiling was starting to crumble from the damage. Great, that did a bit more than I’d intended. I hope no one falls through from above.

With Fay right behind him, Terry joined us and the four of us bolted down the hall to the Ravenclaw girls, with me only lingering to ensure that Hannah was alright and on top of things. The blonde Prefect had already taken charge, even working with some students to retain the ceiling’s structural integrity. What a girl, she even managed to get a good few Slytherins in line. I only waited until she gave me a small nod and a grin before taking off and letting her get back to work. Honestly though...I wouldn’t have minded watching her in action for a few more minutes.

Still, it was best that I didn’t stick around. Me, Ginny, Seamus, all of us that had been in the dungeons needed to keep all our involvement in anything today under wraps. Us getting caught using the chaos to our advantage would have the DA immediately getting the blame for all this. It was best that we did everything we could to keep them from pegging this on us.

Which was why every DA member was duplicating a very familiar cackle and writing ‘Peeves was here’ in whatever filthy substance was used near them whenever all the attention was off of them. 

‘Well, we’ve definitely kept everyone’s attention.’ I mused, sprinting into the crowd and heading towards the Room of Requirement while Fay got herself lost in the crowd and the Ravenclaw girls headed to the library. ‘Let’s just hope that the others were as successful as we were.’

....

As it turned out, heading straight to the Room of Requirement was impossible. Far too many of the hallways were covered in muck or filled with distressed students and frustrated teachers. More than once, we had to take a detour to avoid fuming Death Eaters looking for someone to punish. And of course, when he was done in the chambers and saw all the ‘fun’ being had in the rest of the castle, Peeves went on a riot. You know how he really turned it up during the time Umbridge was Headmistress? Well, one look at the pandemonium we’d set off, and he made that time period look like the era of his best behaviour. Needless to say, everyone truly did believe that this was all his doing and were cursing whoever was dumb enough to give him the tools to do it.

With all the avoidance issues that popped up, we actually ended up outside at one point, dragged there by the masses, and didn’t even get close to the seventh floor until all the duplicated prank toys faded away and the original sirens’ wails had faded from unbearable to just annoying. Even then, we had to sneak around a little. It would be really bad if the Death Eaters were made aware of the Room of Requirement and our use of it. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how at least Snape didn’t know about it after fifth year, or why Parkinson hadn’t brought it up, since she had actually entered it for our DA member’s list in our fifth year, but I wasn’t going to question or ruin our good luck. 

“The others must have already gotten back.” Ginny mused as we finally made it to the right hallway, her eyes instantly narrowing in on the visible door. That made some of the tension in me relax. I was really worried about them. To be honest, I absolutely hated the plan. If Peeves hadn’t shot from left to right like a madman, even with everything we did to hide the proof, we’d probably would have been labelled the perpetrators and the consequences would have been dire. But what worried me even more was the fact that I was sending three of us into the biggest stronghold the Yeerks had at about ground level in Hogwarts, with a plan that required some of them to demorph in the heart of it, and no idea how many Controllers were sticking around, like the Hork-Bajir, or coming up from the pool, unaware of what had happened above. It was the only way we could think of doing anything to the chamber, of course, and we had to do something, but it was still ridiculously risky. 

Still, neither I, nor Terry, did truly calm down until I opened the door to find the all the others kicking back around the room. Seamus looked a little bored and Zabini was staring blankly at the wall, but other than that, everyone was in reasonably high spirits.

“So, no problems I take it?” I asked, grinning a little as I took a seat, Ginny following suit next to me after she locked the door, making it disappear from sight on the other side of the wall, while Terry flopped down next to Anthony. “No one was spotted? The ears are safely in place?”

“Those who got close to the trap door won’t remember what knocked them out.” Seamus shrugged. He and Luna had been guarding the forbidden corridor since not long after the pranks began, beginning as soon as they were sure all the Controllers had vacated the area. If he said our little tactic was still a secret, I believed it.

“The Hork-Bajir almost caused a few problems. They stumbled around randomly and nearly bumped into me a few times.” Ernie stated, worrying me again before he shrugged. “But we got around that. All the ears were set up and no one will ever know we were there. What damage we did to their tunnel, well I doubt they’ll notice Anthony’s runes or realise the danger they possess even if they do and the cave in will be blamed on reckless Taxxons having a snack of themselves.”

“Runes?” Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow. “What Runes? They weren’t part of the plan.”

“Runes that will send tremors right through the tunnel when they’re powered up.” Anthony answered calmly. “Don’t worry, their camouflaged in with the rock and aren’t charged, so they won’t do a thing right now and probably won’t be recognised even if they are noticed. They’re just set in place for when we do want to destroy that tunnel. You know, save us time later.”

“Nice.” Seamus grinned broadly, raising his hand out for Anthony to fist bump.

‘So Taxxons showed up?” I asked with a frown. That wasn’t expected.

“Yeah, but like I said, that’s no issue.” Ernie waved off. “I stabbed one and the others started eating it. They never even made it out of the tunnel. Zabini made it look like they caved the thing in on themselves in their scuffle. So, how’d your end go?”

“Even more dramatically than expected.” I groaned, grimacing as I scratched my arms to find more feathers. At least they’d started moulting now, a few falling out of my sleeves. “It took forever to get anywhere! And I’m not even going to tell you how bad it got after Peeves decided to join in on the fun back above ground. At the end of it, I’m surprised a second poltergeist wasn’t born from all the chaos.”

“That bad huh?” Anthony asked, scrunching his face up.

“It’s a total riot.” Ginny nodded, scowling as she tried and failed to get the green gunk out of her hair. “Even with the duplicates fading away, it’ll take days to clean up the mess. I even saw a swarm of Cornish pixies fly in through the windows while we were outside, so I doubt it’s even going to end anytime soon. Be on the lookout for those little pests.”

“Aww, man.” Anthony groaned loudly, surprising us all as he threw his head back onto his seat and stared miserably up at the ceiling. We all turned to stare at him with curious frowns or raised eyebrows, but he didn’t look like he was going to explain that exclamation anytime soon, he stubbornly ignoring us. Though, through the corner of my eye, I did notice Zabini’s blank face slip into a slightly guilty and sympathetic look, if only for a few seconds. I’m guessing there is a really embarrassing or disturbing story there, but I let it go. It wasn’t my business. Besides, after those pixies hung me from the ceiling in second year, I could fully appreciate not wanting to talk about experiences with the nuisances. 

“Sooo...” Terry started slowly, drawing everyone’s attention away from his roommate, and turned a raised eyebrow to me. “Are we going to activate those ears now? Seems as good a time as any to me.”

‘Especially since it gets prying teenagers’ attention away from your best mate.’ I thought with smirk as I nodded, turning pointedly to Ginny. The youngest Weasley smirked right back as she pulled a box from her robes and opened it to reveal a good number of inch-long fake ears. Placing them on the table before us, the two of us, Seamus and Luna quickly cast a few engorgement and vocal enhancement charms, allowing all of us to hear them clearly all around the room, before pressing a finger to the earlobe of each one, activating them.

“...with buffoons!” Everyone bar Luna and Zabini jumped as Slughorn’s furious yelling bombarded us. I hadn’t actually expected him to be back there just yet. We knew that he would go there soon, he had to check the damage done by the resident spook himself if he wanted a full understanding of the damage. Teenage wizards and specialist adults could only tell him so much, he had the greatest amount of magical talent and knowledge of all the hosts. But still, I’d thought he’d wait a bit, especially considering that the teachers’ attention would be demanded right now to regain order. 

‘Good thing we hooked in now.’

“Your hosts are amongst the most durable of all the species we’ve obtained and yet you act like clowns! Every trap sprung by your own stupidity!” The low, guttural growls of the alien Controllers were present with every word spoken, but not one of them dared argue. It was a complete and total tongue lashing. 

“Sir...we...”

“Spit it out!” Slughorn practically screamed. I could practically hear the Controller quivering under what had to be an absolutely livid gaze. 

“The runes are all gone!” The underling said quickly and nervously, almost connecting the words together. “They’ve been smudged or slathered with slime and deteriorated.”

“DAMN IT ALL!” A few Controllers actually let out low screams right as resounding BOOM came through the ears so loud that actually had Seamus, Ernie and I jumping further back into our seats in startled fear. It looked like Slughorn had blown something up. “The traps are all sprung, many of the chess pieces have cracks in their armour, the moronic Taxxons have caused a small cave in, half the wards have been disrupted and now we have to set the runes up all over again! Has ANYTHING been left untouched?”

“The basin was left alone.” A feminine voice spoke up, though it was so quiet and hesitant that I almost missed it. “All the Yeerks in it are perfectly fine as well.”

“And the first chamber wasn’t touch at all.” Another one added, this one much more masculine. I’d say a fifth or sixth year student. “All the wards throughout the rooms are still in place, so at least we shouldn’t have to worry about anyone unwelcome coming down here.” 

“I suppose. Though coming here is a tricky matter in itself right now.” Slughorn conceded before growling again. “The mess down here is an irritation, but the state of the castle is horrific. More than half the blasted pranks fade away and it’s still difficult to move around. It’ll take days to clean up everything that happened before the pixies showed up and don’t even get me started on them!”

“Hmm, it seems my little plan was more effective than we thought in more ways than one.” Ginny smiled proudly as Slughorn only continued to rant about spell resistant goo and flying troublemakers. “Everyone is going to be busy cleaning and looking out for pixies.”

“So much hindering movement through the castle will make capture and discretion much trickier.” Zabini agreed, his voice remaining calm, but a little amusement shining in his eyes. “Though it will be an issue for your band of merry followers too.”

“A small price to pay.” Luna replied, a small, content smile gracing her face. “There are always other ways to fight for your cause. Perhaps it will be good for the DA to discover just how much little things can do.”

I was a bit confused by what she meant by that, but it was quickly put out of my mind as Slughorn finally stopped his rant. All of us went deadly quiet as he deep, calming breaths rumbled from the ears.

“Have everyone do as much to restore this place as they can as quickly as they can. Snape is already planning how to respond to the work of that cackling nightmare. The time of every person in the castle is going to be...limited for a while. And I don’t care what Visser Three says. The tunnel was technically completed and the need for alternate, unnoticed transportation is become more and more apparent. We will begin infesting House Elves as soon as all this has died down.”

“House Elves?” Seamus cried, wide eyed, as the rest of us tensed, gasped and hissed. “That’s bad. They go everywhere and can come at any time. They’re not even noticed most of the time.”

“The anti-apparition wards don’t bother them.” Luna added, for once looking really troubled. “Taking people to and from the Yeerk pool would be simple.”

“And no one would suspect them of attacking even if they did see them.” Terry bit his lip, looking around with glare. “They almost never fight or cause any trouble at all. They could easily capture new hosts.”

“Then we’ll just have to stop it from happening.” Ginny responded. Though while her voice made her sound confident, her face told of a much grimmer story. 

“If a teacher or student calls or approaches them, they will obey.” Zabini said coolly, staring blankly at the far wall. “Infesting them will be far too simple for us to stop.”

“Unless we could find a way to make them wary of approaching people for a while.” Ginny retorted with much more intensity. “Hermione actually managed to deter every House Elf except Dobby from coming to Gryffindor tower at one point, according to Harry. Surely, we can figure something out. Dobby would help in an instant, especially if we said it help Harry.”

“Then we’ll talk to him at the first opportunity. See if he can work with and protect the other elves.” I decided. It wouldn’t be enough on its own, I knew that, but it was a start and would buy us a little more time to figure something else out. “For now, everyone shut up and listen.”

We listened intently for another half an hour rarely making a sound. Slughorn had left long before we stopped and we didn’t get all that much more on their plans, but we were still able to add a few more names to our list of known Controllers, including, unfortunately, the infestation of a new host. Sue Li, a Ravenclaw Seventh year. It was beyond horrible just to listen to it happen. I couldn’t imagine how Anthony must have felt, having actually watched it happen to Parvati and Lavender. 

Apparently, she’d been using the main staircase at just the right time for the Controllers to catch her without anyone’s notice, the area being mostly avoided due to all the gunk on and around many levels of the stairs. She was conscious and screaming, pleading to be let go the whole time. Anthony was pale as a ghost and crying the whole time while Terry looked ready to break everything in sight. Even Luna looked particularly distraught, not that the rest of us weren’t feeling the same. Zabini himself looked disgusted and saddened as he placed a comforting hand on Anthony’s shoulder.

After that, I called it a day. We got what we needed, we didn’t need to hear any more suffering that we couldn’t stop. Besides, if most of us were out of the public eye too long, the Death Eaters were going to come breathing down our necks. 

So, shutting off the ears and hiding them in what looked like a book, we headed out of the Room, mostly in pairs. Our goals were accomplished and then some today. Now, all that mattered was making sure our cover wasn’t blown.

....

It turned out that our disappearance was never even noticed in all the confusion. Classes were cancelled for the rest of the day as all the teachers and the older portion of the school was drafted into trying to remove the more hazardous substances left behind. Not an easy task, both because the Weasley twins had added some unknown spells to make it more difficult to vanish or remove and because the pixies were still running riot and undoing just about everything we’d cleaned. In the end, Snape demanded all cleaning be postponed in favour of removing the blue troublemakers first. By the time the sun went down the pixies were finally believed to be gone and a few of the most used hallways were cleared enough to walk through, but most would only take single file.

We were smart enough to use just about all the original, messy prank toys in the most used areas hit. 

By the time dinner appeared on the tables in the Great Hall, most people were starving, myself included. Still, no one dared touch it. Snape had risen from his seat and was staring around coldly, silently demanding everyone’s attention.

“Listen carefully, for I cannot be bothered to say this a second time.” He started stonily. “We have seen quite a bit of commotion today. It...appears that Peeves was responsible for most.” He stated. However, he didn’t look like he believed it for a second. That scared me more than a little. If Snape looked into it, he would probably find the truth in no time. He was that kind of man that was quite happy to delve into other people’s business. Even their minds. If he pointed the finger at us... “However, that does not explain where he managed to obtain duplicated contraband. Therefore, every student will have their belongings searched tomorrow morning by their Head of House and either one of our Professor Carrows or our guards.” Well, that was expected. Actually, we were expecting the inspection to happen tonight and had already hid what little we had left in the broom closet...McGonagall had spoken to me in a few nights back and a Notice-Me-Not spell. 

It was weird that Snape was leaving it so long, considering all that disruption we’d caused today, but I shrugged it off quickly enough. Plenty of mess still remained and even if the pixies had all been gathered up, Peeves was still up to something somewhere. Maybe he just wanted to speed up the cleanup.

“On another note...Boot, Dunbar!” Snape snapped, causing Fay to glare up him defiantly. Over at the next table, Terry visibly tensed. “The two of you have each lost your Houses one hundred points for leaving detention prematurely, attacking the staff and classmates and damaging the ceiling! You will also receive detention three nights a week with Professor McGonagall and Filch for the next two months. In addition, you shall have detention on Saturday afternoons assisting Hagrid with his duties for one month. Finally, if either of you causes the slightest bit of trouble before your detentions are completed, you will be suspended and held within the dungeons for its duration!”

“Ouch.” Seamus muttered, wincing guiltily down at his plate. I was feeling pretty bad about it myself. It was after all, part of our plan that the two of them got caught in the first place, even if they did volunteer for it. It was the perfect way to distract the Carrows and Slytherin Controllers. 

Still, it wasn’t the worst that could happen, a fact that had both the Carrows glaring daggers at Snape. They’d just had their positions as Heads of Punishment overruled. They would have kept the two of them for themselves, to torture of have others torture. Filch’s detentions would be horrid for them, most likely involving cleaning without magic with the very possible threat of a whip coming down on them, but Hagrid’s would be almost pleasurable and McGonagall’s...I didn’t know, but considering the circumstances of their offenses, I didn’t see her doing anything too taxing or unpleasant to them. 

The only real threat was being locked out of their Houses afterward and with the list of spells and counter spells Zabini had given us, those wards weren’t going to be a problem for much longer. 

“Now, eat and get back to your Common rooms. I do not want to see a single student out after curfew tonight.” Snape went on slowly and menacingly, piercing everyone with a cold, terrifying glare that had most of us shivering. Even Seamus and me. “If I catch even a single student out in the halls, regardless of House affiliation, a single portrait alight or even one lousy joke shop toy go off...I will have our guards and the Carrows set about to perform disciplinary action upon every student in the school. The only students to be wandering the halls after dinner at all are the Prefects, who are being recruited to assist the teachers’ continuing efforts to clean up the state of the castle. That is all.”

With that, he spent just enough time necessary to pierce everyone with one last vicious glare before stalking his way back to Dumbledore’s chair with his usual, bat-like style. Still, even then, no one in the Great Hall said a word, opting to shovel their food down and head back to our House common rooms. It was probably the first time in history that the entire school was complying with Snape’s demands. 

....

“Dorm, sweet dorm.” Seamus sighed. You’d think he’d found paradise as he jumped onto his bed and snuggled into the blankets. When he finally came up for air, the smile on his face was one of full bliss. “Oh, you never realise just how much you love your soft sheets, feather mattresses and snug, warm blankets until you’re shoved into a cold, ill prepared dungeon.”

“Or the privacy offered by the four poster’s curtains.” I agreed, chuckling as he hugged his pillow. “But must you make out with the furniture again?” He’d been doing this every evening since we got back into the tower. I swear, the first night back, he actually kissed almost every inch his pillow.

“I’ll stop when your guests get here.” Waving me off uncaringly, he didn’t even stop rubbing his face in the pillow. A second later, his blanket was wrapped all around him too. 

Shaking my head and smiling, I just let him be and walked over to my own bed. If he wanted to make a fool of himself, then he was completely free to. Besides, it did take me three times the amount of time and effort to pull myself from my own bed the last few days. I did know the feeling, even if I didn’t go nuts like that at every opportunity. 

Instead, I opted to tend to my plants. I was relieved to find out that Jason had taken care of them for me while I was gone. That first night I came back, I almost didn’t want to enter the dormitory for fear of seeing my beloved plants dead. You can imagine my joy when I saw them strong and healthy. I had tears running down my face as I thanked Jason. I made quite the scene in common room too, embarrassing myself and the younger Gryffindor. 

Gently tracing my fingers over their stems and leaves, I raised my wand and cast a weak water charm over them, lightly bathing their leaves and soil. 

I kept all of my focus on them for I don’t know how long, pruning away a few leaves and adding some new topsoil. It’s important to keep your plants well fed and the old dirt only has so much nutrients. I was so into my work, that I didn’t notice any new arrivals until an owl had landed on my shoulder.

“Bwah!” And almost dislodged it right into a wall with a violent jerk when it’s clawed feet and pressure came down on me. 

“Hahaha! You should really pay more attention, Neville.” Seamus laughed as moved away from a newly opened window and back to his bed where a small, blue feathered bird had come to rest on the covers. Kneeling in front of his trunk, he quickly pulled out a shirt and sweatpants before tossing them on the bed and closing the curtains. 

/Sorry Neville. I thought Seamus had mentioned our arrival./ Luna apologised serenely as she fluttered to the floor and shocked both of us as she immediately started demorphing. While all of us had been forced to lose a bit of modesty during our week in the dungeon, Seamus was still the only one ok being seen naked by everyone. The rest of us always waited until at least the members of the other gender had turned away before demorphing.

“Luna, you could have warned us.” I cried, quickly turning around with Seamus doing the same. “Hang on, let us see if we have anything in here that will fit you first.”

/Oh, just a jumper would be fine./ Luna responded airily, not slowing her transformation down at all, if the crunching and ripping noises behind me were anything to go by. Though they could have been actually all coming Seamus’ bed. /I’m not as lacking in fabric as you would believe./

“Say what?” Seamus asked, turning right back around.

“Shay!”

“What, you heard her! She just claimed to be wearing clothes!” Seamus exclaimed, waving a hand toward her. “And last I checked, her skin’s not green.”

“Green?” I asked, turning around, albeit much more slowly and hesitantly than Seamus had. Sure enough, as her feathers rapidly shrunk and disappeared, dark green and white fabric revealed itself and grew with her form. By the time she was done a minute and a half later, it was apparent that it was a swimsuit. “You...you figured out how to morph clothes already?” I gaped incredulously. 

“Well, I did have something skin tight to practice with.” Luna answered dreamily, not showing a single sign of discomfort as...well basically Seamus and I were staring at her whole body. Not that we...well, at least I wasn’t trying to be a pervert or anything, but neither of us, nor Ginny at the least, had even tried morphing clothes yet. None of us had spandex or anything close to skin tight. We’re witches and wizards for Merlin’s sake, our culture tends to like loose and flowing robes. The newer generations had lessened on them somewhat, but we still wore loose, comfortable pants and shirts. Of course Luna would be the only Pureblood to choose to don formfitting, Muggle swimwear. 

“If you guys are willing to put your eyes back into your heads now...” Anthony spoke up, pulling back the curtains. Almost forgetting he was there, I turned right around immediately at the sound of his voice to find him sitting cross legged on the bed in Seamus’ clothes and a raised eyebrow pointed right at us. 

Blushing embarrassedly, I moved straight to my wardrobe and pulled out a large sweater, while Seamus didn’t even bat an eyelash, simply giving Anthony a grin.

“Oh, and you didn’t stare the first time you saw her like that?” He asked mischievously. 

“This is the first time and she’s standing right there.” Was Anthony’s response, his disapproving look not shifting even slightly while Luna took and put on the sweater with a soft smile. “This is Luna, do remember to be respectful, please.”

“Wow, our little boy’s found his backbone. Reprimanding me and not even stuttering. I’m so proud.” Seamus said playfully, wiping away a fake tear. “Now he’s cute and has an attitude. You my boy, are going to be a heartbreaker.” He added with a wink. Anthony seemed to have no response to that other than blushing. “Ah, but still bashful I see. That will only make your admirers love you even more.”

“Seamus, stop teasing Anthony.” I stated, though a big grin was spread right across my face the whole time. “If you must continue flirting with someone, your pillow is still right there.”

“Yeah, but I get better responses from the lovely Ravenclaw blonds you’ve brought in.” Seamus quickly replied, grinning at each of our friends, Luna staring right back with a dreamy, amused gaze while Anthony only blushed harder.

“Later Shay.” I just shook my head at him before calming down. After all, I didn’t ask them to take the risk of coming here for flirting. “Anything happening in Ravenclaw Tower?”

“No, the Controllers are simply acting like their hosts.” Luna answered immediately. Most people would claim that she looked just as detached as ever, but I’d grown to notice the subtle differences. The way she grew slightly rigid, the more calculating look in her eye, the spilt second she bit her lip. She was very serious at the moment, down to Earth and focused. “The Death Eaters haven’t shown any interest in us. Terry has been left alone and is currently in the company of Lisa, Michael and Stephen.”

“Good. That’s really good.” I sighed in relief. The Yeerks had already tried to infest him once more since the night we were released, though Padma and Anthony had quickly intervened. Since then, watching out for him was a job we’d all taken seriously. With Snape’s threat hanging in the air and so much focus being placed on the mess of the school, I’d worried that a few unnoticed Controllers might have made another attempt. But I guess I worried for nothing. I guess even the Yeerks were too wary of crossing Snape. “So, what about the cleanup?” I moved on, turning to Anthony. “Anything worth mentioning?”

“Slughorn was extremely persistent about a particular stairway being cleared first.” He answered, staring intently. I knew instantly which one he was talking about. The main stairway connecting their new territories. “Snape intended to start on areas more heavily hit, but gave in and let Slughorn take Sinistra, Babbling and go get some of the new Death Eater apprentices to start work there. It is a major stairway, probably the most used of all after all. But apart from that, no. Ernie and I both checked on Slughorn at one point and their group had stayed hard at work cleaning the whole time, mostly near and on the third floor area. Sludge, swamps and slime still cover plenty of the areas, of course.”

“Great. A night where everyone’s plans are on hold in favour of janitor work.” Seamus stated happily.

“Even ours.” I reminded him, though he didn’t look all that upset about that. He was enjoying the R&R. “That means there are plenty of portraits still unprotected.” That reminder quickly dampened his mood.

“Which is why I had Ernie, Hannah and Padma help me place alarm spells on every hallway, corridor and room anywhere near Yeerk territory that we could.” Anthony responded, grinning proudly. “If so much as one spark goes off in any of them, a horribly loud alarm will wail loud enough to have half the staff running. I informed Professors McGonagall and Flitwick of the plan already, they both approved.” He added as an afterthought as the rest of us smiled at him. “We can have the DA continue protecting portraits tomorrow and add more alarms while walking to classes. It’s not like setting up the alarms takes nearly as much time as protecting each portrait and they’ll last more than long enough to set more permanent protection spells in place.”

“Simple, but brilliant. I love sneaky Goldstein.” Seamus smiled proudly. “The Yeerks get a headache and then busted. What could be better?”

“Not much, given the circumstances.” I said happily with a proud grin of my own. “You organise some pretty good plays when you get into it, Anthony. I wish we brought this out of you long ago.”

“Well, it was a move I could make without anyone’s notice.” Anthony muttered bashfully, picking at Seamus’ blanket. “And the other Prefects are always happy to listen and help me. Besides, it’s just a small trap.”

“With rather large effects.” Luna stated calmly as she stared right at him knowingly. “Something Zabini or Terry would have done. A simple, unseen act that could have a very damaging outcome for the Yeerks. One that could possibly be used against them outside the original intent. The marks of a superior strategist.”

“Can’t be denied.” Seamus agreed, clapping the shyly grinning Anthony on the back. “You’ve come a long way, my friend. From wimpy and unsure to a confident and strong. And a good reprimander to boot, if what I’ve heard about that meeting you Prefects organised is right. And you even got Peeves to play nice with you! You could keep just about anyone in line now.”

“Except you.” Anthony retorted, though he was still grinning that bashful grin. 

“Well, no one can control Shay.” I chuckled as my roommate puffed up his chest proudly. “He’s right though, you really stepped up. You made quite a good leader. Not many could rein our rebellious organisation in.”

“Thanks, but I’m very happy that you guys are back to take that off my shoulders.” Anthony smiled softly. “A strategist I can be, but I don’t like being the leader. Handling that kind of pressure...it’s just not me.”

“It’s not really me either. Even Harry hated it.” I nodded understandably. “If you want to take a step back, that’s fine, but still, it’s good to know that you can do it when you need to. Just like Ginny, Luna and me.”

The Ravenclaws left long after that. Even Anthony, who was still blushing bright as a candle at all the praise he’d gotten, hadn’t been spending much time within their tower and was keen to relax with his housemates. Besides, a random inspection of any House could happen at any time, so it was best if they headed back. 

Watching them leave, I was really tempted to morph owl and follow them. As birds, they looked so relaxed and free, something that we’d all felt the need to experience again for a long time and the cleaning induced reprieve in our enemies’ movements was the perfect opportunity to.

“You know what? Bugger it.” I decided, drawing Seamus’ curiosity as I yanked off my tie and turned to him with a smile. “What do you say we go grab Ginny and take to the skies? See how you go with that new owl morph of yours?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Seamus smirked, already heading for the door. Smiling after him, I quickly set the pillows on our beds and cast the glamour charm Terry taught me to create the illusion of the two of us sleeping. By the time the other two had ran back into the room, I’d already ditched most of my clothes and was more than halfway to owl form. 

/Hurry it up guys./ I called as the last of my changes settled. Spreading my wings, I shot straight out the window. /I’ll see you out there./

“Show off!” Ginny called happily after me, laughing as I pulled every fancy aerial trick I knew. It consisted of about three.

I don’t think I’d ever felt so good as I did when the others finally joined me. We had the time of our lives, racing, comparing moves and just simply gliding on the wind. We’d earned it. This was likely going to be the only time we would truly have a reprieve in these wars anytime soon, I made sure that we had fun throughout it. The day was ours, completely ours. Our traps and spy network were all in place and the Yeerks were none the wiser. The chaos we’d made had turned the Death Eater guards into cleaners and both enemies were far too busy with the need to remove our mess to cause any harm. Peeves had taken all the blame for the disaster, leaving us free and clear of more Death Eaters. This was our day.

And we had best enjoy it, because the war was only just beginning. Even harder times than we’d already experienced lay very close down the road. We weren’t going to be this happy and free of problems again for a long time.

It was best to take every moment that we can. So, I let all my worries go and just flew. And I never felt more alive.

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back, everyone. As mentioned in the last story, this is an old series that I'm moving to this site, so expect quick updates. Well, that's all for now. Hope you enjoy and let me know if you do.


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